Solo Family Snippets
by Zyra M
Summary: A series of one-shots of happy Han and Leia and their family. All of these should be considered to take place in a universe where Han and Leia truly do live happily ever after. Most of these were previously published elsewhere, maybe not quite enough for their own individual story, but will each be a "chapter" here with a little explanation as to where the story came from.
1. Anniversary Surprise

_A/N: Welcome to my one-shots! I wanted to get these published over here, but most of them don't seem like quite enough to be published as their own individual stories, so I'm putting them each as "chapters" here. At the beginning of each I'll let you know why it was written and what time period it covers._

 _This one was written in response to one of the Valentine's Day challenges on the Han and Leia fanfic writers' blog. Takes place on Han and Leia's anniversary, several years after they've had kids._

* * *

"What do you mean, you're not gonna make it?" Han Solo said frustratedly through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry, Han. You know I am. But these delegates came all the way from the Outer Rim and they only have so much time. You know I can't miss this meeting."

To say he was disappointed would be an understatement. Han and his wife Leia were celebrating their thirteenth anniversary. They had planned to go out to one of their favorite restaurants, just the two of them, to share a romantic evening. They'd both been exceedingly busy as of late, and with the children's schedules starting to take up more and more time it had been a while since they'd taken some time out just for themselves. And now it looked like that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

"Yeah," Han replied, not knowing what else to say. He tried not to blame Leia for working hard. It was one of the reasons he respected her so much. And once they'd started a family she had started working much more normal hours, though like with any job, occasionally something happened to keep her late. He just wished it didn't have to be tonight.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Leia said. "I promise I'll make it up to you. We can go out another night next week."

Han let out a sigh, knowing that pouting wasn't going to make the situation any better. He'd just have to remind her about making things up to him next week when he planned to keep her up most of the night. He switched back to husband/father mode. "Fine, so maybe I'll just go meet up with Lando, all right?"

"Oh, see, when I knew I wasn't coming back I sort of told Luke that he didn't need to keep the kids overnight. So one of us has to go home."

Han knew that 'one of us' in this case meant him. Well, a few drinks with his old friend would've been nice, but there were worse things than spending a night at home with his kids. It might even help him take his mind off what he was missing out on. "You owe me, sweetheart."

"I know. Next week, I promise. I won't be home until late so tell the kids I'll see them in the morning. I love you. Happy anniversary."

"Yeah," Han said a bit more gruffly than he meant to before cutting off the comm call. He felt a little badly for ending the conversation that way, but even if he was trying to be understanding he still wanted her to know that he was at least a little bit mad.

He had already been on his way home as they talked, planning on showering and changing into one of those more formal outfits Leia liked to see him in. It wasn't one of his favorite things to do, but given the way she looked at him when he was dressed like that and the fact that more often than not she promised to wear whatever _he_ wanted once they got home, he considered it a fair trade.

His irritation at his plans being altered hadn't waned once he arrived home. As he approached his front door he decided that maybe he'd order the kids from their favorite restaurant. Seeing their faces light up at the smallest gestures always made him feel better.

As he walked in the door, he expected to hear the bustle of kids winding down toward the end of the day, but all was quiet. It was also dark. Apparently nobody was home. This was not going to help his mood.

He reached over and flicked on the lights, illuminating the entryway in a soft glow. His eyes traveled downward to what appeared to be a trail of deep crimson flower petals. It surely was no accident.

He felt half of his face curl up into a grin as he slowly followed the trail through the living area and down the hallway. He could see the faint glow of candlelight reflecting from the bedroom he shared with his wife. He felt his heart pounding as he rounded the corner into the doorway and peered in to find Leia sprawled invitingly on the bed, wearing an outfit that he had not seen before but certainly approved of. It was made of some sort of lace the same color as the flower petals that led all the way to the bed, and it didn't leave anything to the imagination.

Han leaned casually against the door frame. "I thought you had a meeting."

She brushed her long, brown hair off her exposed shoulder and smirked at him. "I lied."

Han shrugged off his jacket and slowly made his way towards the bed. "You said the kids were going to be home."

"Lied about that, too. I sent them off with their aunt and uncle. We have the night to ourselves."

He pulled his boots off and tossed them aside. "What about our dinner plans?"

She shrugged. "I didn't really feel like going out tonight."

He sat down on the bed and started undoing the fasteners on his shirt. "And where did that outfit come from?"

His eyes wandered lustily down her body, taking in every curve, every bit of skin that peeked out through the nearly-sheer material, every inch of her that he planned on kissing. She'd been lying down, resting her head in her hand, propped up on an elbow. As he sat, she moved to kneel next to him, helping him to ease the shirt down off his shoulders. Moving her face level with his, she got close enough so their lips were almost touching when she said in her lowest, huskiest voice, "Are you going to keep asking questions or are you going to kiss me?"

Never one to turn down such an invitation, he brought his lips to hers, feeling her warm hands move up to frame his face while his own hands started to explore every facet of her body. It was not the anniversary night he'd been expecting, but it was far better. Without a word they were soon naked in each other's arms, proving once again that even after so many years together their passion for one another had never waned. If anything, Han thought yet again, it only seemed to grow.

Once thoroughly exhausted, much, much later, the couple lay lovingly snuggled together in the middle of their large bed, a blanket haphazardly pulled up around their cooling bodies. They'd been quiet for a while, but Han finally spoke. "So when did you decide to do this, huh?"

She smiled and squeezed her arms around him. "Just the other day. I don't really get the chance to surprise you often, and it's so hard to ever come up with a good gift for you, so I figured you might like this instead."

"Like it? Are you kidding me? Sweetheart that was..."

Her finger pressed against his lips to silence him and she sat up and her brown eyes looked deeply into his. "I know."

She leaned in and kissed him gently, and Han thought of a hundred things he could say to her: That he loved her more every day, that she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever known, that he loved the family and the life they'd created, that every morning he felt like the luckiest man in the galaxy.

But Han Solo wasn't one for mushy speeches. And he had a strong suspicion she knew exactly how he felt about her. She rested her head against his chest, ready to fall into an exhausted sleep. "I love you," he said before kissing her forehead.

"I love you, too," she said as her hand moved absently across his abdomen.

"And, sweetheart? You can feel free to surprise me like that anytime you want."


	2. Midnight Return

_A/N: This was for a Valentine's Day challenge on the Han and Leia fanfic writers' blog. Takes place when the twins are 8 and Anakin is 6._

* * *

Though exhausted, Leia Solo was already feeling better than she had in days. She was only a few minutes from returning home after nearly a week away from her family, overseeing the signing of a trade agreement with several members of the New Republic that was, for reasons she still did not understand, held on the coldest one of those planets, in the middle of their winter. She shivered again just thinking about it. The trip had gone smoothly, but she had of course missed her children and her husband.

Jacen and Jaina were eight years old and while they certainly had their moments that drove Leia crazy, she loved how intelligent they had become, and just watching them learn and grow had given her so much pride. Any trouble they caused was usually offset by their generally warm and loving nature, and still a smile and a laugh and a hug from either was usually enough to make her forget why she'd been upset with them. And Anakin was six and hadn't just yet developed the mischievous streak of his older siblings. The boy was often very sweet and affectionate, and Leia missed having her youngest cuddling up next to her on their couch and telling her all the things he had done that day.

And of course she'd missed her husband. More often than not, she felt better by simply being with him. He had a way of making her feel at ease, which was somewhat ironic since for years he had the complete opposite effect on her. But now, she felt as though she could relax in his presence and be herself in a way she couldn't with almost anyone else. She didn't have to put on the face of the professional or the diplomat. She was free to laugh and joke and show some vulnerability and just be... Leia. Not to mention the fact that she loved her husband with every fiber of her being, and there was nothing quite like being with him and knowing he felt the same.

One thing Leia did not love was returning home in the middle of the night. But considering the fact that originally she thought she wouldn't be able to return until the following afternoon, she felt this was the better alternative and had opted not to tell Han, instead just planning to surprise him and the kids.

As the door opened to the Solo home, she found it as dark and peaceful as she expected given the hour. Han and Leia had recently been discussing that the children were at such fun ages, and it had helped that they had also become fairly self sufficient. And it was because of this that she didn't feel as bad leaving Han home alone with them for nearly a week. Not that he couldn't handle it, as he had always been a very hands-on father, but she felt less guilty leaving them now that Han wouldn't have to keep the kids in sight at every moment and they could easily bathe and dress themselves. They were far less exhausting now that they could do so much more to take care of themselves.

She dropped her bag at the door and went to make her way through the living room and wanted to go just peek in on her children before she went to her own bedroom. Even if she had no intention of waking them up she at least wanted to see them for a moment before she went to sleep.

But when she arrived in the dark living room, the soft, dim light coming in through the window showed what initially simply looked like a huge mess. There were blankets and pillows covering every inch of the floor. And it took her a moment to realize that the four lumps she saw among them were the four other members of her family, all sound asleep.

She smiled at the sight, and it took only a moment before she saw Han stir and notice her. "You're home," he said quietly.

She simply nodded and then held up her hand as he started to move to greet her. "No, stay there." All she wanted to do was lie down and join them and she slipped her shoes off before walking over and dropping down on what she discovered were the cushions from the couch. Han held the blanket up and she curled up around him as he draped it over her. His face was barely visible in the dim light, but she could still make out his smile as she brought her hand up to his cheek to find it warm and a little scratchy with a day or two of stubble. She leaned in and they shared a few quick kisses. Yes, she thought, coming home early was worth it.

"You're early," Han said in a whisper.

"Is that ok with you?" she said in an equally quiet voice.

She could see him smile even in the dark. "More than ok," he said.

"So what's this all about?" she asked him.

"We decided to have a little camp-out for our last night without you."

"That sounds like fun."

He nodded. "Honestly, I was sick of sleeping alone, and this seemed more fun than forcing them to sleep in the bed with me."

She brought her hand up to run through his hair and then rested it behind his head. "Lucky for you, you don't have to sleep alone anymore," she said before leaning in kissing him gently. "I like this idea," she whispered and then turned in his arms so her back was to him and he could pull her in close.

In the darkness she could just make out the small bodies of their children nestled under their blankets and sound asleep. Anakin was closest to her, with his arms up over his head and his face turned toward her, serene in a peaceful sleep. She could just make out Jaina's face behind him, face pressed into her pillow as she lay on her side. She could only barely make out the top of Jacen's head behind her. They each looked completely content, and she was already looking forward to them waking up in the morning. She couldn't help but smile. "Gods, they're so cute."

His arms squeezed her a little tighter. "All because of me," he said and they both laughed and attempted to keep it as quiet as they could so as not to wake anyone up. "They're going to be so excited to see you when they wake up."

"You think they missed me?"

"I know they missed you. They must've asked me five times a day, 'When's Mom coming home?'"

"I always knew I was their favorite," she joked. "What about you? Did you miss me?"

"More than I want to admit," he said before gently kissing the spot behind her ear. "They really wore me out. I'm exhausted."

"So am I," she said as she felt herself getting closer to sleep. "Did they at least behave themselves?"

"Mostly," he replied, his warm breath tickling the back of her neck.

"Thanks for taking such good care of them."

"Just doing my job, sweetheart."

She pulled his arms more tightly around her, and that along with the feel of his strong body against her back made her feel warmer than she had since she'd been gone. She did know he was just doing his job, but she wasn't sure if she could ever adequately express how much it meant to her to have him take such good care of all of them. He was everything she could've hoped for in a husband and the father of her children, and it still amazed her sometimes how much she loved him. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," he said, his voice sounding half asleep. She didn't need to hear him say it, she could actually feel it from him.

One of the things she had been most looking forward to aside from seeing Han and the kids was sleeping in her own bed. But as she shut her eyes while wrapped in Han's arms and lying on the living room floor, she decided this might be even better.


	3. Daughter's Wedding Day

_A/N: This one was written in response to one of the Father's Day challenges on the Han and Leia fanfic writers' blog. It should also be noted that while I use the EU kids and certain elements from that canon, in my version all 3 Solo kids survive well into old age and nobody ever turns to the dark side._

* * *

When she turned to look at him, he could hardly believe his eyes.

Han Solo was not often speechless, but as he gazed at the young woman in front of him, the one he had held in his arms moments after her birth on the day he became a father, words completely escaped him.

She was dressed in an elegant yet simple white gown; a veil framing her face so that he could clearly see the elated twinkle in the brown eyes that so resembled her mother's. The smirk she gave him was not unlike his own, slightly crooked as one side of her mouth curled up a bit higher than the other. His Jaina, his only daughter, was about to get married.

After a few moments of staring, Jaina broke the silence. "So, Dad, how do I look?"

He took a few steps closer and looked her up and down, wondering how in the universe his baby had grown up so fast. "You look beautiful, little princess."

"Little princess? You haven't called me that one in a while."

Han shrugged. "I thought I'd get one more in before my little girl gets married and isn't mine anymore."

Smiling, Jaina took a few steps forward and reached out to take her father's hand. "I'll always be your little girl, Daddy."

Even dressed as she was Han couldn't help but hear those words as though she was speaking them as a small child. "You better mean that. You know, when you turned five I told you that you were growing up too fast, and you promised you'd never leave me."

They were merely words. Han wasn't sure he'd ever seen his daughter look so radiantly happy as she was now getting ready to start a new life with her soon-to-be husband, and he also knew in his heart that she would always remain a big part of his life. But the wedding seemed to add a sense of finality to the time in his life that Jaina would come to him first. Suddenly he was accosted with images of his little girl seeking him out to fix her hurts, leaping into his arms for a hug, asking him to read her another story, climbing onto the couch to sit next to him and watch a smashball game – not because she cared about the sport, but simply because she liked spending time with him. He'd helped teach her to read, to fly the _Falcon_ , and how to deter young males from getting too close to her – although eventually that last bit of advice had fallen by the wayside. His baby was all grown up and there was nothing he could do about it.

"I'm not leaving you, Dad. I'll always need you."

Closing the small bit of distance left between them, Han pulled Jaina slowly into a gentle hug. In spite of the potential for wrinkling her dress, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly. "I love you," she said, her voice slightly muffled against his chest.

He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. "I love you, too."

After a few more moments, he pulled away and took one last look at his daughter, taking a moment to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall. She smiled at him again and said, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone," before winking at him.

He laughed and moved to stand at her side, holding his arm out for her to take. "You ready?"

Her arm hooked into his and she took a step forward, taking a deep breath. "I think so. Are you?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Han said, knowing very well that nothing could've prepared him for watching his children grow up so fast. But as the doors opened to the vast hall with thousands of guests, he somehow immediately was able to pick out the other set of beautiful brown eyes he so loved looking into. Leia, his wife of thirty years, smiled at him just as she had on the day he had married her, reminding him that he wasn't losing everything that day. And he saw the groom, looking at Jaina in such a way that Han knew he would take care of her.

If not, he looked over to his sons, who would protect their sister just as fiercely as Han would. Although he knew that his daughter was smart enough to choose a worthy husband, even if Han didn't believe any man in the galaxy had ever been created that was truly worthy of marrying his only daughter.

But if he made her happy, that was all he cared about.


	4. Weekend Getaway

_A/N: This one was written in response to one of the Valentine's Day challenges on the Han and Leia fanfic writers' blog. It takes place when Leia is pregnant with Anakin._

* * *

Leia Solo sat back with her eyes closed and wondered for at least the thousandth time since she'd been with her husband, Han, if she had died and gone to heaven.

The couple had been busy dealing with a very rambunctious yet adorable set of twins who seemed to be exploiting the fact that they could cause so much trouble now that they were able to run around on their own. It continued to amaze Han and Leia how much their babies could get into when left out of sight for less than a minute.

To make matters even more interesting, she was currently five months pregnant with their third child. They had made sure to have the doctors check several times to make sure there was only one in there, and were greatly relieved to have that fact confirmed. It had made this pregnancy a bit easier so far, and certainly made the end result seem a little less daunting.

However, Leia had still been working fairly hard. She'd cut back so she could have plenty of time with her family, but combining chasing twins with being pregnant, and just about any amount of outside work would prove to be exhausting.

Han had awakened her one morning and told her he had a bag packed for her. They were going to get away for a couple of days. After some half-hearted resistance, she decided that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea. He had made sure that any meetings or work could be put off, he had arranged for Luke and Chewie to watch the twins, and he had booked a brief visit to a gorgeous, secluded inn not too far from Coruscant.

Leia had always felt like she was left in charge of almost everything in everyday life. People were always looking to her for answers. It was why it was such a comfort that when she was with her husband she could trust him to take the reins so often. She had even once told Han, "You can be my captain anytime." It made her feel secure when he took charge of things.

Especially when he brought her to places like where she was now. She was immersed in a vast, deep and warm whirlpool tub, leaning back against the solid form of her husband's body; his legs outside of hers, his arms wrapped around her while his hands wandered over her skin, alternating between soothing rubbing of her protruding, pregnant belly and caresses to other parts of her body that served to heighten her desires.

She really had no idea how much she needed this break until she felt the tension release from her muscles after Han filled the tub and told her they were getting in. She did miss her babies, but this wasn't such a bad way to pass the time. Not to mention the fact that Han seemed even more enamored with her body when she was carrying his child.

Her head was resting back against his hard shoulder, and she reached down and took his arms and gently hugged them to her. "This was a good idea, Han."

She felt his lips on her neck before he responded. "I thought you might like it."

"You always take such good care of me."

"Well, no wife of mine who is carrying _my_ child is going to work herself into exhaustion. Besides," he said before his hands started wandering lower, "you're so adorable when you're pregnant. I needed an excuse to keep you naked for a few days."

She let out a little moan and started moving her hips in sync with his touch. She had never been able to figure out how it was possible, but something about being pregnant made her ache for him in ways that she wasn't sure she'd be able to endure beyond the months she was carrying the baby. It was overwhelmingly distracting at times. And Han loved every second of it.

Leia felt their son start moving in her womb, suddenly distracted. "Han, did you feel that? He's kicking."

Han's hands didn't cease their roaming and he started nuzzling her neck. "Tell him to settle down. Mommy and Daddy are busy."

Leia waited a moment, felt his stirring cease, and then turned her head to face Han. "I think he listened," she said with a smile.

Han nodded. "Good," he replied before moving in to kiss her hungrily and she felt him stiffen against her back.

They'd stayed in the tub for entirely too long having entirely too much fun. When they couldn't handle the heat of the water anymore, Han had carried Leia to the bed where they enjoyed themselves for the majority of the rest of the evening.

Finally, when they had exhausted themselves completely, Han collapsed on his back and Leia snuggled up against his side, both of them breathing heavily and coming down from the intense high. When she felt her strength return, she lifted her head to look down at Han's very satisfied face. "I'd say that was worth the trip," she said before leaning down to kiss along his jawline.

"Without a doubt, sweetheart. It's been a while since you had the chance to make that much noise."

She felt the heat rise to her face and wondered if there would ever be a time in her life where he wouldn't be able to do that to her. Probably not.

She looked away for a moment and then felt his hand tilt her chin back to look at him. "Hey, nothing to be embarrassed about, sweetheart. You know how I love to hear just how much you're enjoying yourself."

"And what about you? Did you enjoy yourself?"

"You're kidding, right?"

She nodded and bent down to kiss him again, but she pulled away when she felt the baby kicking. "There he goes again."

Han moved her off him just enough so he could slide his hand along her belly and feel for himself. She could actually feel the love radiating from him as he moved down to kiss her stomach gently. "I can't wait to meet this baby boy," Han said between kisses.

Leia laughed. "Well, I can. The two we already have are enough of a handful."

"You know you love 'em."

"I know. They are some adorable little kids. It's not so bad having your babies, Han."

"I'm glad you feel that way, because I love having those kids with you."

She wasn't sure if it was the hormones or what, but she was feeling especially sentimental at the moment. While Han had always looked at her with nothing but love in his eyes, there was something about having their child inside her that seemed to connect them even more than usual. She thought momentarily about what her life could've been right now, focused entirely on work and not having this wonderful man by her side.

She pulled his chin so that he was facing her in the darkness, his eyes almost shining back at her as they reflected the moonlight coming through the window. "Thank you for being everything I never even knew I needed."

Being a man of few words, he simply smiled and then moved up to kiss her deeply and then brought his lips to her ear to simply say, "I love you."

She said the words back to him and he moved on top of her, bringing his lips back to hers. She knew where this was going and stopped momentarily. "Wasn't part of the reason for this trip to get some extra sleep?"

"We can sleep later," he said as he moved his mouth down to her breasts and she realized that didn't sound like such a bad idea.


	5. A Little Mix Up

_A/N: This was just a random little snippet I wrote and posted on the blog about 5 years ago for no reason other than I thought it was cute even if a little implausible._

* * *

Leia Organa Solo was no stranger to lack of sleep. Throughout her time in the Rebellion she had spent more nights lying awake than she cared to remember, haunted by bad dreams and the constant worry that she could at any moment let down all those who were counting on her, among others, to save them from the wrath of the Empire. Once the war ended she had basked in an unusual stretch of peace that had included more restful nights than she'd ever experienced. Well, restful for the most part, except when she was being kept awake by a certain roguishly handsome ex-smuggler who had made his way into her bed and shown her several much more pleasurable ways to stay awake at night, and it didn't take too long before the two of them were married and spending every night together.

But as was inevitable with such activities, eventually she wound up pregnant and was currently holding one of the two pieces of concrete evidence of how Han and Leia liked to spend their evenings. It was a joyous time in their lives, and something they had been hoping for. They did not regret it, but at the moment, they were being shown what it was to be truly sleep deprived. She wasn't sure if it was because she was older or because she wasn't constantly running for her life, but raising twins had left Leia in a hazy fog of exhaustion at levels she didn't think possible.

Baby Jaina was curled up in her arms, sound asleep after a feeding. Leia was enjoying a blessed moment of peace as she leaned back against the couch cushions in her and Han's home, closing her eyes and hoping to maybe catch a brief nap of her own.

Sometime later, though she had no idea how long, she felt the weight of someone sitting down next to her and the pleasant aroma of her husband's distinctive scent hit her nostrils. She smiled without even opening her eyes and then felt a warm, strong hand reach over and squeeze her thigh. "Is Mommy feeling a little tired?" he asked quietly.

"Mommy is on a break. You'll have to come back later."

"Hmmm… I don't know. What do you think, Jacen? You want Mommy to wake up?"

Leia peeked through one half-opened eyelid and saw through the haze of exhaustion that Han was holding their son in his lap so that he was sitting up. A few wisps of hair crowned his head and wide little brown eyes peered up at her.

Catching her eye, Han held little Jacen's arms up in mock excitement. "There she is! Mommy's awake!" Han bounced the baby up and down and Leia heard his infectious giggles. She couldn't help but open her eyes then to see the wide, toothless grin on their little baby boy. The twins were still so young that they had only barely begun doing such a thing, but both parents were already addicted to the sound.

Leia smiled back at the sight of Han and their happy child, and then another distinctive aroma found its way to her nose. "Um, Han? I think one of these two needs a new diaper."

Her sense of smell had always been more sensitive than his, but it only took a moment of concentrated sniffing for his expression to change from joy to mild annoyance. "I know we read about this stuff before we had them, but I swear it's impossible for two people this small to produce so much waste."

"I think I'm more impressed by the huge smiles they usually have on their faces while doing it." As she said it, she looked at Jacen who was busy trying to stuff his own foot into his mouth. "So, is it yours or mine?"

Han lifted Jacen up to his face and inhaled through his nose. This entire concept would've been completely repulsive to either of them only a few months ago, but now it had become routine. It was an unfortunate side effect that they'd just have to get used to that sort of smell being a part of their lives on a daily basis. The look on her husband's face told her all she needed to know. "Definitely this one. Why don't you let me hold Jaina and you can take care of this."

Leia knew he was mostly kidding, but she had to admit she'd tried that sort of tactic from time to time, just because there was nothing to lose. "No, no. This is _my_ baby. We're playing man-to-man defense here. You can handle it."

Han only looked mildly disappointed, Leia suspected because he already knew his request would be denied. "Well," he started as he stood up, "at least this means that it won't be much longer before my baby is the sleepy one and your baby is the smelly one."

Han carried Jacen out of the room and Leia looked down to see that Jaina was still fast asleep before shutting her eyes again.

A few moments later, she heard her husband's voice from the other room. "Leia? Are you sure you have Jaina in there with you?"

Leia started to get a little bit annoyed. Was he still trying to get out of diaper changing? She looked down to see the sleeping form of their daughter, still out like a light in her lap. "Pretty sure, Han."

"Yeah, well, unless Jacen's penis fell off sometime today, I think he's actually the one sleeping in your lap."

Leia's eyes opened wide and she sat up almost quickly enough to startle awake the baby she held. She looked down to find it still sleeping in the flowered little onesie she would often dress her daughter in. Being twins, obviously their children looked very similar, especially since they were still so young. And Leia had to admit that given her exhaustion, her vision hadn't exactly been crystal clear lately and mostly what she saw in front of her were two vaguely baby-shaped blobs. Looking a little more closely at the baby in her lap, she realized that it was, in fact, her son and not her daughter.

Moments later Han came back holding his baby in a fresh diaper and a plain, tiny t-shirt and stuffing her fingers in her mouth.

Han walked toward her and pointed with the hand not holding the baby. "Are you dressing my son like a girl?"

Leia felt mortified that she had somehow mixed up their children. "I'm sorry, I'm just so tired! I was half asleep when I was getting them dressed this morning! And hey, you didn't notice, either!"

Han just smiled and sat back down next to her. "Sweetheart, I can barely see straight these days. I guess we should be glad that we had one of each or we'd probably mix them up and never be able to tell which was which."

"I promise not to put him in girls' clothes again. What about putting our daughter in boys' clothes?"

Han looked down at the little girl he was bouncing on his knee. "Well, that's not so bad. If she's gonna be Daddy's little helper she's going to have to get used to wearing clothes that can get dirty. Right, baby girl?" Han lifted Jaina in his arms and started blowing raspberries on her stomach while she screeched in delight.

Leia smiled at the father/daughter exchange. She hadn't doubted that Han would make a wonderful father, but nothing could've prepared her for the joy she'd feel at watching him interact with their children.

He put his baby back down on his lap and turned back to Leia. "Tomorrow night, you're going to go to sleep and stay there until you've been that way for at least ten hours. You got it?"

"No, I can't do that. You know they're going to wake up."

"Yeah, I do know that, and I'll deal with whatever. But you need some sleep for just one night at least. What if next time you put Jacen in a dress?"

Han smiled and she realized not only that she couldn't say no to his offer, but that she didn't really want to. So she simply replied, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. And to make it up to me, the next time these two are asleep we're going to have some special Mommy and Daddy time."

"Deal," she said just before she felt and then heard the baby in her arms stirring. Then he started to cry.

"Oh, see, he just realized that Mommy put him in his sister's clothes."

Leia looked down at her son. "Sorry, baby. Mommy is very tired. But Daddy is going to get you dressed in some other clothes, right?" Leia looked up at her husband imploringly.

He grinned at her and shook his head. "I don't think so, sweetheart. Man-to-man, remember? That's _your_ baby. Mine is all changed and happy and hopefully ready to fall asleep with Daddy while he takes a nap."

As she stood to take the fussy son in to change his clothes, she said to Han, "We're all going to be able to get some sleep eventually, right?"

"Someday, sweetheart. Someday."


	6. Things Lost and Gained

_A/N: This one was in response to yet another Mother's Day challenge on the Han and Leia fanfic writers' blog. Takes place when the twins are a few months old._

* * *

Leia had tried for hours to console her baby, to no avail. Jaina had been sick; a low-grade fever that she had been assured was no need for alarm but it had left her baby girl agitated, uncomfortable and in pain. She was only eright months old, unable to express herself verbally, and even though Leia could offer her words of motherly sympathy, the baby was too young to really understand her.

Medicine had not worked. Rocking her had not worked. Bouncing her up and down in her arms had not worked, though that was her current tactic as she paced back and forth in her bedroom. It didn't help that Leia herself was also exhausted, having spent the entire night so far awake and trying to ease the pain of her child. She had at least managed to remove the noise from Jacen, who thanks to some unknown deity had been spared, at least temporarily, from the illness and was left sleeping soundly in his crib.

Leia looked again at her daughter's face, eyes red from so much crying, wet streaks running down her cheeks as she looked pleadingly at her mother, and Leia felt completely helpless. There was nobody at that moment who could make anything better. Han was out of communication, traveling in hyperspace somewhere but hopefully on his way home. Luke was away. She didn't have close enough friends to call on during that moment. With a sudden pang she had the overwhelming urge for a mother of her own. Someone she could call and ask questions about raising babies. How tired should one expect to be? Is it normal for them to poop that much? How much sleep is too much? How do you know they're eating enough? And how in the world do you get them to stop crying when they aren't feeling well?

She felt robbed all over again, unable to ever have that for herself. No sweet grandmother to come and give her a brief reprieve during her moments of exhaustion, nobody to offer words of encouragement, to remind her that nobody really knows what they're doing and she was sure they'd turn out fine. Nobody to compare stories about going through the same things when Leia was a baby, and how this was her payback for all she had put her own mother through. Nobody to mother _her_ when she needed it. She had lived without a mother for many years now, but she hadn't wished to have her back like this in quite some time.

She hugged Jaina close then, pressing her tiny head against her shoulder, and her own tears began to fall. Leia had always prided herself on not being prone to emotional displays, but under the circumstances she was no longer given an option. She cried for the mother she never knew and the adopted mother that she lost. She cried for the grandmothers that Jaina and Jacen would only ever know about through stories they heard about them. She cried for being left alone without the loving guidance only a mother could provide in this situation.

In her own sobbing, it took her a few minutes to realize that Jaina had finally fallen asleep against her shoulder, and only her own sadness filled the room as she hugged her daughter closer, feeling her warm little body and strong heart beating against her.

"Hey," she heard from the doorway as she looked up to the tall, lean form of her husband in the darkened room. She could see the smile he had on his face, no doubt because he had been excited to surprise her at his unexpectedly early return, morph quickly into great concern as he took three long steps to her. "What's wrong?"

She looked at Han, her sweet, wonderful husband and his worry so evident on his face. He had proven himself once again after their children had been born, shown what it was to be a great father and supportive husband. He loved those babies more than anything in the universe, had taken to being a father like the most natural thing in the world. And he had loved and supported her during their challenging transition into being parents, through the learning and frustrations and unmeasurable joys. But he could not replace having her own mother, someone who had been through it all and could reassure her of the light at the end of the tunnel.

She couldn't even bring herself to speak, so broken up as the tears flowed. She finally looked at him and gave him a helpless smile and shrugged her shoulders. It actually wasn't entirely unusual for Leia to suffer an emotional moment over the months since the twins had been born. Whether it was hormones or exhaustion, dealing with the extreme challenges of parenting twins or some combination of all of them, she had had a few emotional breakdowns. Han had as well, though his usually manifested in anger rather than tears.

Han gave her a sympathetic smile and then reached to gently take the sleeping baby from her arms. He had at least been informed earlier that Jaina was sick, so he knew things wouldn't be perfect upon his return. He cradled her against his chest and then leaned over to kiss Leia's forehead. "Lie down, sweetheart," Han said in little more than a whisper. "I'll be right back."

Leia choked back a few sobs as she let them go, struggling to compose herself, finally able to take a few slow, deep, calming breaths before sitting back down on the bed.

Sleep. That was all she needed at this point, lots of sleep. Before she even had a chance to lie back Han returned, walking over and sitting on the bed next to her, his face leaning down to look at her. "Are you all right?" he asked as his warm hands cupped her face and he brushed a few tears away from her face with his thumbs.

It took her a few moments before she could fully articulate an answer, but finally she swallowed down a sob, sniffed and answered, "It's just been a rough night." She gave him a half-hearted smile. They had both known that raising twins was going to be challenging and exhausting. She really would be all right eventually, but she couldn't deny that it had been a taxing evening.

"I know, sweetheart," he said as he pulled her into his embrace, circling her with his arms and pressing her cheek against his warm chest. She felt her breathing even out even more, her heart rate slowing, her husband's comfort flowing through her. "You want to lie down?"

She nodded against him and then he pulled her down beside him and she curled her body over his while he stroked the hair on top of her head. "I'm sorry she got sick while I was gone. I wanted to come back early so I could help out. I know you must be exhausted."

"Thank you. I missed you," she replied, then paused briefly before adding, "And not just because I missed having help with the twins. I really did miss you."

"I missed you, too. And I missed my babies."

"You'd have missed them less if you knew what I'd been dealing with the last couple of days," she said and couldn't help but laugh against him, and he laughed back.

She squeezed him gently, inhaling his scent and starting to doze off. Nothing was going to change the fact that she did not have a mother to help her in her own journey through the experience. Somehow though she and Han had managed to figure a lot of it out. They weren't perfect by any means, and they had certainly made their share of mistakes, but they still had each other. And there was nobody she would rather be figuring it out with.

"I'm so glad you're here," Leia said quietly, and Han's only response was to kiss her forehead. She knew he didn't realize that she didn't just mean she was glad he was there now, but that he was there at all. Always by her side, always there for her. She may have lost a lot in her life, but she had gained more than she ever would've dared to ask for. Maybe she could never have a mother or a father, but she and Han could be there for their own children. And someday they could be the grandparents Jacen and Jaina had never had. She liked that idea.

Han's presence once again had completely soothed her. She figured by the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of his chest that he was already asleep and smiled a little to herself knowing that she was about to join him. At least if Jacen got sick the following night she knew she would have some help.


	7. Leia's First Mother's Day

_A/N: This one was written for one of the Mother's Day challenges on the Han and Leia fanfic writers' blog, and seems appropriate to post this week with Mother's Day this weekend. It takes place eight months after the birth of the twins._

* * *

She faintly heard the tiny cries waking her from a deep sleep. These were not cries of distress, but rather the frustrated cries of a child who was ready to be freed from the confines of her crib so she could explore the world for another day. Leia Solo slowly opened one eye and tried to shake the fog of another night of not enough sleep. She and her husband Han had been raising their twins Jacen and Jaina for eight months now, and it had been at least that long since either one of them had felt completely rested. She constantly tried to remind herself that those two, beautiful little babies were worth all of the trouble, but it didn't change the fact that there were certainly mornings where she awakened and wanted nothing more than to remain curled up in bed for the remainder of the day. So far, today was turning out to be one of those mornings.

But her daughter continued to fuss, and Leia was quite sure that she would not stop until someone came and released her. Just as she rolled over, she noticed that Han was not lying next to her. Before she even had a chance to contemplate why she heard his low, soothing voice over the baby monitor as he entered the children's room and apparently got Jaina out of her crib, as she almost immediately stopped crying and started making adorable little cooing noises. Leia smiled. Jaina had always been easily soothed by her father.

"Good morning, baby girl," she heard Han say quietly through the speaker. "No more crying so Mommy can, sleep, okay? You know what today is, right?"

Leia almost started laughing as she listened to her husband asking their daughter questions when she was far too young to actually answer him. But she still heard her babbling as if to answer. "That's right," Han said. "It's Mother's Day. It's your mommy's first Mother's Day, so we have to treat her extra special, right?"

Leia heard another series of incoherent babbles and fought the urge to get out of bed and visually witness the scene. Han obviously wanted her to stay in bed, and she was not one to turn down such an opportunity. So she pulled the covers more tightly around her and snuggled back down into the warm mattress, shutting her eyes and savoring a little bit of extra rest.

Sometime later, though she had no concept of how long she'd been asleep, Leia was gently awakened as she felt a familiar weight settle into the mattress. She rolled onto her back and opened her eyes to find her husband clad in a white t-shirt and light blue sleep pants and holding each of their adorable twins in his arms. He looked back and forth between each of their smiling faces, bouncing them at his sides. "Can you tell Mommy happy Mother's Day?"

His eyes were on Jacen, who smiled brightly and then vigorously shook his head. "No? What about you, Jaina?" He turned to his daughter, who mimicked her brother's response. "Oh, come on," he said mockingly. "Come on," he said again before leaning in and pretending to bite at her neck while she screeched loudly with laughter, then he repeated the same gesture on Jacen, who let out an equally loud squeal. Leia smiled. Han was a wonderful father and she loved watching him interact with their children, who seemed to love him just as much.

"All right, then. How about kisses? Can you give Mommy kisses?" He lowered each of them down to the bed and Leia took the opportunity to lean in to each of their tiny faces so they could reach her lips.

Once they each kissed their mother, Leia sat up and pulled them into her lap. "Thank you, my sweeties." She looked up at Han smiling back at her. "And thank you for letting me sleep a little bit more this morning."

"It was the least I could do. But that's not all for you today."

Leia arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh, really?"

"Really. I've booked you a massage, a pedicure and a facial."

Leia smirked. "What?" Han asked. "Come on, I know about that stuff."

"Oh, I'm sure you do. And thank you," she said before leaning forward and Han caught the hint and met her halfway for a kiss. "But what about these little darlings?" Leia said, bouncing the twins in her lap.

"I'll handle 'em for a few hours. It'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" It's not that she didn't think he could handle them on his own. He had managed a few times before. She just knew that two eight-month olds were not easy to handle for anyone on their own. Leia noted, not for the first time, that it was a good thing they were so cute or their parents might have gotten rid of them by now for all the trouble they were.

"Sweetheart, we'll be fine. It's just for an afternoon. You deserve a little break. Now, what do you guys think?" he asked the twins. "You want to play with Daddy all day? Huh?" He reached out and tickled each of their bellies, eliciting their infectious giggles. "See? They love the idea."

"All right, then," Leia replied. "I'll just take a shower and be on my way."

* * *

Leia had been gone for a couple of hours, and was still at least a few more from returning. Things had started out simply enough. Han had managed to feed the twins and then spent some time on the floor playing with them, inventing new ways to make them laugh. He loved their little smiling faces.

But as much as he loved their smiles, he was not such a fan of times when they were fussy. And getting them down for their morning nap had proven to be more difficult than usual. The two tended to be pretty decent sleepers, Han guessed because they were quite good at tiring themselves out during their waking hours. But while Jacen seemed to have no trouble calming down once Han placed him in his crib, Jaina was a different story.

She'd started crying almost immediately, and Han had tried leaving the room for a few minutes in the hopes she'd fall asleep, but it didn't seem to work and he found himself back in the room, picking her up and trying to quiet her. It usually didn't take him much more than simply holding her for her to become content, but her distress continued. "What's wrong, baby girl? Do you miss Mommy?"

Her brown eyes were filled with tears and he felt at a loss as far as what to do. He knew he'd spend the rest of his life trying to keep that little girl from knowing any sadness, and he hated that he didn't know what to do to make her happy.

* * *

Leia felt as though she had died and gone to heaven. She had spent nearly two hours having every muscle in her body worked over, and every knot or ache or pain massaged away, leaving her feeling more refreshed than she'd felt in many, many months. She was currently lying reclined in a plush chair, wearing the softest, fluffiest robe she'd ever touched, her face caked with some sort of rejuvenating mask and her feet being gently rubbed by a lovely young woman who worked at the spa, her hands seeming to have magical properties.

She sighed as she released a deep breath of satisfaction, thinking about how lucky she was to have such a wonderful husband who would do this for her. And thinking about how much she loved those two little babies that both exhausted her and delighted her to no end. She had no idea she'd enjoy this Mother's Day thing so much.

* * *

After two hours, Han had given up trying to get Jaina to nap. He'd checked her diaper and tried to feed her, hoping that the solution would be just that obvious. It didn't work. Finally he pressed the backs of his fingers against her cheeks, finding them a bit warmer than usual. A check with a thermometer in her ear confirmed that she had a bit of a fever. It wasn't high enough to be alarming, but it was certainly high enough to be the cause of her being so obviously uncomfortable. And it was certainly going to make for a long afternoon.

Jacen had woken up and soon Han had two of them to deal with again. Fortunately his son was being far more cooperative and Han was able to leave him to entertain himself, sitting in some giant chair surrounded by lights and things that spun and all sorts of random amusements to entertain a baby. Han thanked the gods that his children were not yet mobile on their own, or he might be in serious trouble.

Suddenly, the crying stopped. Han looked at Jaina and saw her eyes still wet with tears, but at least she was quiet. "Are you feeling better, honey? Are you gonna be good for Daddy?"

He had barely gotten the words out before his daughter threw up her breakfast down the front of his shirt, immediately resuming her crying afterward. Han sighed and shook his head, then heard Jacen joining in on the tears. "Gods, I hope Leia appreciates this!"

* * *

Han had mostly been unable to keep the kids quiet. He had somehow managed to feed Jacen, who was at least less fussy than his sister. But poor Jaina still wasn't feeling very well. And Han had at least managed to change his t-shirt, only to have her throw up again on his pants while he was bouncing her on his knee. He'd finally called their pediatrician to get some advice and gave Jaina some medicine that would hopefully soothe her obviously upset stomach.

He put Jacen down for another nap, thanking the gods that once again his son at least had no trouble falling asleep. Knowing it was futile, he placed Jaina in her crib and tried to walk away, but her crying persisted and once again he was left carrying her around, hoping that maybe, just maybe she'd quiet down and fall asleep.

Finally he decided that walking her around wasn't helping, so he might as well lie down himself. If she was going to be crying anyway he might as well get a little rest himself. "All right, sweetie, let's lie down here on the couch. Daddy needs to shut his eyes for a few minutes." He lowered himself down and swung his long legs up onto the couch in the living room, propping his head up on a pillow behind him and placing Jaina on her stomach against his chest. He gently rubbed her back and slowly heard her cries quiet and eventually disappear.

Han almost couldn't believe it. And once again he was reminded how easy it was for his children to make him go from being immensely frustrated with them to never wanting to let them go in about five seconds flat. "That's a good girl," Han said quietly, continuing to rub her back soothingly and shutting his own eyes. "You be a good girl for Daddy while we wait for Mommy to get home. Daddy's just going to rest for a few minutes."

He felt her breathing slow and simply felt the slight weight of her tiny body against his chest. She had almost made him forget the prior four hours in which she had driven him crazy... almost.

* * *

Leia arrived home feeling invigorated. Her skin felt as soft and smooth as she could ever remember, and any tenseness that had been residing throughout her body was completely gone. She had enjoyed her day to herself but she was very much looking forward to seeing Han and the twins. She'd spent some time thinking of several ways to thank her husband that she was sure he would enjoy.

She opened the door to their house expecting to hear the noises of the three of them playing, but instead she only found silence. As she slowly made her way inside she had to suppress the urge to audibly express how adorable the sight in front of her was. There on the couch was Han, lying flat on his back with his head turned toward her, mouth slightly agape and his chest slowly rising and falling as he breathed deeply in sleep. One arm hung down off the couch and onto the floor, but the other was resting on Jaina's back as she lay on her tummy in an equal state of sound sleep resting on his chest, her little arms tucked under her, her face pressed against her Daddy's chest.

Leia took a few moments to commit the image to memory and then walked over to sit on the edge of the couch near Han's head, absently brushing a few stray hairs from his forehead. She hadn't intended to wake him, but he stirred and opened his eye, looking up to her as she smiled back before leaning down to kiss his forehead.

Han glanced down, seemingly not realizing that Jaina was still sound asleep on his chest. His hand moved up and down her back again, and Leia reached over to touch the soft, brown hairs on her little head. "How was your day?" Han whispered.

"It was wonderful, thank you. Really. How was yours?"

Han looked down at his sleeping daughter, appearing to consider his answer before turning back to look at Leia. "Great. No problem."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth Leia heard Jacen's cries from the next room, and it took about three seconds for Jaina to join in on the fun. Leia saw Han's eyes roll.

"Happy to be home?" he asked, raising his voice a little to be heard over the twins' cries.

Leia looked down at her husband and said sincerely, "Absolutely," before heading to the nursery to get Jacen.

The rest of the afternoon had passed routinely. Han told Leia about Jaina's fever, which upon the latest check had come down considerably. Leia had to suppress a laugh when Han mentioned how many times he'd been thrown up on that day. They'd managed to feed and bathe the children and even get them into bed at a decent hour, when mercifully they fell asleep quickly.

As they made their way back to their bedroom, Han collapsed face first onto the bed with a loud, over dramatic groan. Leia laughed and sat next to him, rubbing his back. It felt like all of the knots that had been massaged out of her muscles had somehow been transferred to his. So she moved her hands to gently rub his shoulders. "Rough day, darling?" Leia asked.

"Is it too late to give them back?" Han asked, his voice muffled against the bed.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. But I'm afraid they are nonreturnable. But thank you for the wonderful gift. I think I like Mother's Day."

Han rolled over on his side so he could look up at her. "Good. You deserved it, honey. Those kids are a real handful."

"Well, you're the one who wanted them so badly. And no matter how you feel about them they do seem to love their daddy."

"What's not to love?" he asked with a crooked grin.

"Exactly," she replied before leaning in to kiss him.

"I hope you enjoyed your first Mother's Day."

"I did, thank you. And if you'll just give me two minutes in the 'fresher I'm going to show you just how much I appreciate it."

Han's expression changed as he got that mischievous glint in his eye that always gave her goosebumps. "Oh, really?" he asked.

She leaned down so her lips were millimeters from his, kissing him softly and pulling back only slightly. "Really."

She stood to go to the 'fresher and heard Han call from behind her. "Don't be long."

"Don't worry," she said before disappearing through the door. Once she had finished, she walked back out into the bedroom, expecting to see Han's eyes staring up at her in anticipation. Instead, she found him lying on his stomach, apparently sound asleep. She was only slightly disappointed, knowing how exhausted he must be and also knowing from experience that with Han, when this sort of thing happened, as soon as he was awake he would make up for any missed opportunities.

She quietly slipped into bed next to him, pulling the blankets up to cover them both and lying to face him, taking his hand in hers and kissing it gently. "I love you," she whispered, seeing the corners of his mouth turn up ever so slightly at the words. She smiled and shut her eyes, thinking about what a shame it was that Mother's Day only came once a year.


	8. The One Where Han Wears His Speedo

_A/N: This one was written for what was aptly called "The Speedo Challenge" on the Han and Leia fanfic writers' blog. It is based around those infamous photos of Harrison Ford in his Speedo, and we thought it would be fun to think about if those photos were of Han, and what might be the origin of said photos. Believe it or not this one received more story submissions than almost any other challenge on the blog. This one takes place on Han and Leia's third anniversary._

* * *

"I think this was one of my better ideas," Leia said as she smirked at her husband, Han.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over with so I can have my fun," Han replied as he adjusted his seating position on the pool deck.

The married couple was celebrating their third anniversary at an exclusive resort. Each seaside suite had its own private pool overlooking the ocean, and two days in they had spent more than their fair share of time floating in the warm water, enjoying each other or simply the sun.

The privacy offered allowed their pool area to be clothing optional, which had been a huge selling point in choosing that particular resort. The beach offered no such privacy, and while it was not required that proper attire be worn, Han and Leia had decided to continue to honor their tradition of exposing themselves only to each other.

Leia traveled with a two-piece swimsuit that she knew Han loved. Han hadn't been anywhere that required a swimsuit in so long that he couldn't even remember if he had one anymore, so he had opted to get a new one once they arrived at their destination.

What he did not anticipate was being left with very few choices. The resort gift shop seemed to only carry items for guests whose waist lines were at least twice the size around as Han's. Except for one suit. Now, Han was accustomed to wearing simple shorts that came about halfway down his thighs, but instead he was left with a plain back pair of skimpy swim briefs. He supposed he should be grateful that they weren't also some awful floral pattern.

Leia found the whole thing quite amusing, and frankly he didn't have much issue with wearing them in front of her. Really he hadn't spent much time wearing them anyway. But she had requested that they go for a walk down to the ocean, which meant that he was going to have to wear them, and she couldn't help but notice more than one female admirer as he had walked by as the suit clung to all parts of his body and left little to the imagination. Han seemed only to notice the men who were similarly ogling his wife in _her_ swimsuit. The pair hadn't released each other's hands just to make sure nobody got any ideas.

Once they returned to the privacy of their pool deck, Han had requested to take a holo of Leia in her bikini before they inevitably ditched the swimsuits again.

"Absolutely," she had replied. "As long as I can get one of you in yours."

His frown was still visible under the scruff of his beard. He had opted to forgo shaving on this particular excursion. She preferred his clean-shaven face, but she had to admit that this was a nice change of pace.

He agreed and then moved to sit on the deck, crossing his legs in front of him. "How many credits do you think we can get for these holos of the famous general in such a skimpy outfit?"

Han looked up, confused as she popped off the first holo. A smirk crossed his lips as he finally absorbed her words. "How many credits do you think we'd get for a holo of the gorgeous Princess Leia without her top on?"

She shook her head at him. "That wasn't part of the deal."

Slowly, he stretched out his legs and started to stand up and she immediately knew she was in trouble. "I don't really care," he said just before lunging after her and she barely dodged his initial attempt at grabbing her arm.

He chased her around the pool, both of them laughing and Leia wondering just how hard he was actually trying to catch her. Finally, out of breath, he was able to get both arms around her, pulling her side against his chest and hoisting her up in the air while she screamed in mock-terror, kicking her legs in an attempt to get free.

"I've got you now, Princess," he said into her ear, his beard tickling the side of her face.

"What are you going to do to me?"

"This," he said before jumping into the pool, still holding her close.

The cool water was a welcome relief from the heat of the sun, and the couple surfaced, still laughing as Han pulled her close. His fingers moved against her back as he slowly untied the top portion of her suit, tossing it aside. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed her chest against his.

"Did I mention I love the way you look in this suit?"

"You love the way I look in anything, sweetheart," Han replied.

She leaned in to kiss him gently, only for a few moments before pulling away. "I also love the way you look _without_ anything," she said as she slid her fingers down his sides, hooking them into the suit and starting to slide it down his hips.

Han's eyes rolled back in his head and Leia leaned in to nibble at his earlobe. "Happy anniversary, baby."

Han couldn't have agreed more.


	9. Field Trip

_A/N: This one I'm not sure has been shared publicly before. Years ago, occasionally ShouldIGetOutAndPush and I would give each other writing prompts just as a way to get each other writing. It didn't always work well, and some of what I wrote was often not very good, but sometimes it was at least a little cute. Her prompt on this one was: "Write something where one of Han and Leia's children needs them (maybe got sick at school) and Han and Leia are both busy at work and trying to get to the child." So this is what came out of that.  
_

* * *

"Tell me you're not busy."

Those were the first words Han Solo heard out of his wife's mouth. It wasn't rare for Leia to contact him during the day, although it was unusual for her to not at least say hello first.

"I'm not busy," he replied quickly.

"Oh, good."

But before she could continue, he amended his statement, "Except that I'm actually pretty busy. What's going on?"

He heard her sigh on the other end of the comm before she continued, "Why did you tell me you're not busy when you are?"

"Hey, you asked me to tell you I'm not busy, so I said I'm not busy. Will you just tell me what's going on?"

"Anakin's sick."

"Uh oh," Han replied. "Nothing too bad, is it?"

"No, no. I think it's the same thing the twins had."

"Got it." About a week prior, their two older children, Jacen and Jaina, had both been home for a few days with an ailment that left them achy, fevery, congested, and unable to keep much food in their stomachs. The poor kids had been miserable. "So have you gotten him yet?"

"That's the thing," Leia said, already sounding apologetic. "I've got this one last meeting with some delegates who are heading off planet right after. Also, he's not at the school, they're on that field trip, remember?"

"Ah, that's right." Han had sent Anakin off to school himself. The seven-year old couldn't wait to go on their field trip that day to the museum that commemorated the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic. He felt like a celebrity, knowing that his parents and uncle would be part of the exhibit. He'd been looking forward to that day for weeks, and looking back now Han remembered that his son had looked pale when he left, but he was far too excited about the day ahead to tell his parents that he wasn't feeling well. "I can't really leave right this second, either. I've had a rough day in the engine room and I'm just about completely covered in grease. I think I'd make the poor kid even sicker if he had to sit in a speeder with me inhaling this stuff the whole ride home. I'm gonna have to get cleaned up first, and that museum is a lot further than the school."

"I don't like it when our baby is sick and we can't get to him."

"I know, sweetheart. He'll be all right. Look, I'm going to move as fast as I can but it's going to take me a little while to get all the way over there."

"I know. Thanks. I'll come home as soon as these delegates leave. Take good care of him and tell him I'll be there soon."

"I can handle it, sweetheart. If he's anything like his brother and sister were he's probably just going to want to sleep the rest of the day anyway."

"I know. I'll see you soon. I love you."

"I love you, too," Han replied before ending the call. He had been in the bowels of his beloved ship, and after the last of his tools were put away, he made his way to the 'fresher to begin the daunting task of scrubbing away an awful lot of grease. He hoped his son would understand.

After getting clean, dry, and in some clean clothes, Han was finally on his way to the museum. It had taken him longer than expected and when he finally found a place to park and walked in, he was starting to feel awful about how long Anakin had been kept waiting for him. But once inside the large entry area he caught sight of Anakin's teacher, seated on a bench next to a small lump under a coat about the size of the youngest Solo.

The woman's eyes met Han's and they exchanged a friendly smile as he made his way over to his son. Han squatted down next to him and ran his fingers over Anakin's forehead. "Thanks for looking after him," he said to the teacher.

"You're welcome. He was trying to hard not to let on how bad he was feeling, but after about the first forty-five minutes he looked about ready to pass out, so I told him it was time to call his parents to come get him."

The boy was still asleep as the adults exchanged pleasantries and Han felt the heat radiating from Anakin's head. "He'd been looking forward to this for a while."

Han saw the teacher's eyes look past him and recognize someone else behind him. As he heard footsteps approaching, he turned to see his very concerned wife approaching. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

Leia didn't respond until she had made her way over to the bench and set her eyes on their son who was still asleep and oblivious to what was going on. "I tried to get in touch with you," she said as she reached down to touch Anakin's face, feeling for a fever. "How's he doing?"

"About as well as the other kids who had this recently" the teacher responded. "It's been going around. He was a little dizzy and light-headed. He tried really hard to pretend he was fine but he couldn't quite walk in a straight line. When I finally told him his field trip was over he actually looked a little relieved."

"Well, thank you for looking after him," Leia said as she reached down and gently shook Anakin's shoulder. "Sweetie, it's Mommy and Daddy. Are you ready to go home?"

His eyes slowly opened, revealing the brilliant blue of his irises just barely peeking out. "Mommy?"

"Yes, baby?"

"I don't feel good."

Han and Leia both let out little laughs at their son stating the obvious. "I know, honey. That's why we're going to take you home."

"Oh, good," he said as Han slowly helped him move into a seated position. "But I didn't get to see where you guys blowed up the Death Stars."

"I know, buddy," Han said. "We've told you those stories a few times, though." "Yeah, but I wanted to see it here."

"How about we bring you back again some other time, is that ok?" Leia asked.

"Ok," Anakin relented with his shoulders slumped. "Can we go home now?"

"Yes, we can go home now," Han replied. "You want me to carry you?"

The young boy nodded slowly, which told Han that they certainly had a very tired boy on their hands. He knew it wouldn't be much longer before he wouldn't be able to carry his son like this.

"Thank you again," Leia said to the teacher. "We'll take it from here." Once they got to the exit, Leia turned to Han, "Why didn't you answer your comm?"

Han reached toward his waist with the arm not holding Anakin and patted his pockets. "I guess I forgot to bring it with me. What happened to your meeting?"

"It took about ninety seconds. They didn't need any additional information, they just wanted to shake hands on the deal and be on their way."

"If only all negotiations were so easy."

"You're telling me. I think I'm ready to go home anyway. I need to take care of my baby."

"I think I'm done for the day, too. By the time we get back it won't be that much longer before the twins get home, anyway."

They climbed into the speeder, Han in the driver's seat and Leia holding an already sleeping Anakin in her lap. "You know, Han, we just left a museum that tells people about how we overcame the Empire over the course of many years. Did you ever think that there'd come a time when you'd just be worrying about mundane little family things like picking up a sick kid?"

"Not really," Han replied. "But if I'd known this is what I'd be fighting for I might've fought even harder."


	10. Lullabye

_A/N: This one came from a little writing prompt that was simply: Leia sings. I also decided to use it as an experiment in writing first person, which I don't usually do. And from Han's point of view, just to make it even more difficult. Takes place a few weeks after Jacen and Jaina are born._

* * *

It had been an unbelievable couple of weeks. I woke up a month or so ago next to my _very_ pregnant wife lying next to me, complaining about how she was sick and tired of lugging around our unborn children and she just wanted them to come out. Well, they must've heard her, because a couple of weeks ahead of schedule, they decided to make their first appearance into the universe. It was more than a little scary for me since they decided to do surgery to get them out, but everything turned out fine in the end.

Just like that, I was a dad. I had no idea exactly _how_ to be a dad, having had no such example of my own to follow. Well, you know, aside from the conception part of things, because I had that aspect pretty well covered. But what in hells are you supposed to do with these little things once they let you take them home by yourselves? Did these medical professionals have any idea how clueless we were?

I suspected that Leia was just as nervous as I was, but the minute we laid eyes on those squirmy little people we'd created, we were both completely in love with them and it didn't seem to matter anymore that we didn't know what we were doing. We were in this together, and we were going to make sure that those kids were loved and cared for like no other.

We'd only had them for maybe three weeks or so. We were sleep deprived, malnourished and our personal hygiene had suffered, but really it seemed like it was worth the trouble. Plus, it seemed that every day – sometimes more than once – Leia would do something that would somehow make me love her more than I did before. Seems impossible, but it's true.

I get the feeling she looks at me that way sometimes, too. Like the other day I went to calm down a fussy Jaina, so I sat on the couch and held her real close and fell asleep with her resting against my chest. When I opened my eyes some unknown amount of time later, I looked to find my beautiful wife giving me an even more beautiful smile from across the room. "You're going to make a wonderful Daddy, Han," she whispered quietly, trying not to awaken the infant in my arms.

I never _really_ doubted that, but it was nice to know that she thought so. Anyway, seeing her as a mother has been incredible. The way she talks to them like they're actual people who can understand her, the way she soothes them when they're upset. And I swear it is just unbelievable to watch her nurse them. I'm not jealous or anything, but it's just incredible that she can actually keep our children alive with that tiny body of hers.

But really, the most beautiful thing I've probably ever witnessed happened last night. Leia asked me to clean up the kitchen while she put the twins to bed. I like to be a part of the bedtime routine too, but I've also learned lately that I'm better off just doing what I'm told. So I had just gotten the last of the dishes put away when I thought I heard music coming from the nursery.

For a minute I thought maybe it was just a musical stuffed animal or something, but as I got closer, I realized that it was a voice I was hearing. When I slowly pushed the door open to peek inside I damn-near fell over when I realized that it was Leia doing the singing.

I have known the woman for years, and that was the first time I'd ever heard her sing a note.

Now, I'm not saying that she should quit politics and go sign a recording contract. What I _am_ saying, is that hearing her sing that Alderaani lullaby to our little babies was the most beautiful thing I'd ever heard.

I wondered why this was the first time I'd heard her sing. Not that she'd heard me sing before either, but I definitely didn't sound like _that._

She reached into the crib one last time and seemed to notice that Jacen had fallen asleep, then she looked up and saw me spying from the doorway. She looked a little embarrassed at being caught, although I can't imagine why. It certainly wasn't anything to be embarrassed about.

Gods help me I think my eyes were watering when I smiled at her right then, and she seemed to relax a little as she smiled back and tiptoed towards me, wrapping an arm around my waist and snuggling up close while I led her to our bedroom.

Once we were safely out of earshot, I kissed her forehead and asked quietly, "How come I've never heard you sing before?"

"Maybe if I ever had any trouble getting you into bed I'd give it a shot, but you're always pretty easy."

She was still pressed up against my side and I gave her a little squeeze around her shoulders. "Come on, seriously. It was beautiful."

'Thanks, but you're not usually my harshest critic."

"That's true, but you're not answering my question."

She breathed a heavy sigh and moved to sit down on the bed. "What did you expect? Serenades around the base while we were at war? There wasn't a whole lot of good opportunity for bursting out into song"

I moved and sat down next to her. "Point taken, but I just feel like I've been missing out all this time." I reached over and grabbed her hand, and I could tell by the way she looked away from me that she wasn't comfortable with the compliment. She never is.

She added a second hand to clasp mine, and I started feeling a lot warmer. "Thank you, darling. And I'm sorry if you feel left out that I haven't been singing you to sleep. It's just that I hadn't sung that song in a very long time. Not since – "

She shut her eyes then, and I could tell she was remembering Alderaan again. I can tell that look a mile away, and it tears my heart in two every time. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders again and pulled her close, kissing her hair. She willingly accepted my comfort, but thankfully this time the memory wasn't enough to bring her to tears.

I thought about asking her who had sung her that song when she was a kid, but decided she'd tell me if she wanted to. "The memory can live on in our babies, you know, sweetheart. And someday they'll be singing it to their babies, too."

She turned her head to look at me, her big, brown eyes full of tears. I was worried for a second until her hand came up against my cheek and she kissed me. "Our kids have no idea how lucky they are to have a mom like you," I said when she pulled away.

"Or a dad like you," she said.

I knew I didn't deserve that one, but I decided to let it slide. "What do you say, ready to get some sleep?"

I felt her hand still rubbing against my cheek before she responded. "Maybe not just yet."

Leia leaned in and kissed me then. She hadn't quite been ready to make love yet so soon after having Jacen and Jaina, so I was trying my best to be patient. At least I got well reminded of how good at kissing she was.

A while later she was lying against me, catching a few precious moments of sleep between feedings or random, inexplicable infant awakenings. I thought back to the song she sang for our babies, wishing just a little that she was awake to sing it to me now. I figured though that I was ok if she only sang for them and not for me.

But just then I heard the faintest sounds coming from Leia's lips and I realized she wasn't talking to me. She was singing in her sleep. If that was what I was going to have to settle for, I'd take it in a heartbeat.


	11. Through Their Eyes

_A/N: Ok, yet ANOTHER Mother's Day challenge story. I will perhaps stop posing this challenge and try and come up with something different! Takes place when the twins are 6 and Anakin is 4._

* * *

"Uh oh, what'd I miss?"

Leia heard her husband's voice from behind her just as she finished closing the door to their children's bedroom. It had been a trying day, to say the least.

Normally having Han return home would instantly ease any stress she was feeling. But on this particular evening, their three kids had decided to become complete terrors. And the effects of dealing with them were going to take more than a strong hug from Han to disappear.

She leaned her forehead on hernarm against the wall and heaved a sigh. "How much do you think we could get for them?"

"Huh?"

Her voice was slightly muffled but she knew he heard what she'd said. She turned to him and continued. "I mean if we sold them, they're probably pretty valuable, right? I mean, Force-sensitive, strong Corellian genes, rare Alderaanian heritage…"

Han gave her a half-smile. "That bad today, huh?"

She shook her head and took a few long strides before collapsing on the couch in the living room. "Do you remember that time we took them to Mon Calamari? And we made the mistake of trying to take them out to dinner before they had a chance to adjust to the local time?"

Han thought back for a moment and then had to smile in spite of what was far from a pleasant memory. The incident Leia was referring to had taken place about a year-and-a-half prior. Now, their kids were not perfect by any means. But they were generally good kids. Except, of course, when they got especially tired or hungry. And gods help you if you got a strong combination of both. They had wanted to have a nice family dinner, and it turned into shouting matches from everyone, throwing of food, and ultimately having to drag everyone out of the restaurant after causing quite a scene. The twins were five at the time, and Anakin was three. And Han and Leia vowed to never make a similar mistake again.

"No, it wasn't that bad, was it?" Han said as he moved to sit next to her on the couch.

She looked at him briefly and then down at her hands in her lap. "Well, no. Definitely not quite that bad. But they were at each other's throats all afternoon. Just shouting and arguing and even some hitting. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to yell, too."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "It happens, sweetheart. They probably just need some sleep."

She leaned her head against his chest and heaved a sigh. "I feel like a terrible mother. I made Anakin cry when I yelled at him."

Han kissed her forehead. "He'll be all right, sweetheart. We all have bad days sometimes. I'm sure when it's time to put them to bed they'll just want to hear their stories."

"Maybe," she replied, unconvinced.

After a few moments of silence, just as Leia was starting to really settle into Han's embrace, he abruptly released her and got up.

"Where are you going? I wasn't finished with you."

"Just wait there a minute, I've got something I think you'll like."

Leia scowled as he disappeared toward their bedroom. She did not feel as though he would so easily fix her sour mood.

A few moments later Han sauntered back into the room with a small, wrapped box that he held out for her.

"What is it?"

"Maybe you should open it and find out."

She wasn't really in the mood for games but she snatched it out of his grip and began to unwrap the paper while Han sat down next to her.

"It's a holocube," she said as she held it up in her hand.

"You've always been so observant," Han quipped; his low, gentle voice rumbling in her ear. "Take a look at what's on it."

Using her thumb, Leia flicked the switch to activate the images. The first thing she saw was an image of her holding the twins, looking down at them and smiling. It had to have been the day they were born because they were still in the med center.

The image shifted to another one, this time she was holding Jacen in her arms above her head, smiling at him while he smiled back at her.

Next was an image of her walking away from the holorecorder through the grass holding the hands of both of the twins, one on either side of her walking next to her.

The images kept coming, one after another. Swimming with Anakin, giving the twins a bath, lying on the couch under all three of them. Even an image of her asleep on her bed with baby Anakin conked out right next to her.

As the images went by she realized that somehow she had never seen any of them before. They had plenty of family holos from over the years of their family, but none of these seemed familiar. And she also realized that not one of them appeared as though she or the kids had posed for it.

"Where did all of these come from?"

"Well," Han began, "I've been taking these for a few years. I was going to give this to you for your birthday next week, but you seem like you needed it a little sooner. I want you to see how I see you with our kids. And just look at the way they're looking at you in some of these. Doesn't look like they think they have a terrible mother."

Leia felt her eyes welling up, and she turned to face her husband who was looking at her sweetly. "You're unbelievable," she said as she leaned in and held him close, his arms wrapping around her tightly.

"I know," he laughed.

After a few moments of just savoring the feel of Han's embrace, Leia heard Anakin's voice from behind her. "Mommy?"

She pulled away from Han and quickly wiped her eyes before she turned around to see her youngest son who had an almost pitiful look on his face. "What is it, honey?"

The boy took a few steps closer until he could almost touch her and hesitated again before answering. "I'm sorry," he said sweetly, his bright blue eyes looking up at her and asking for forgiveness.

Leia's heart almost melted and she reached down and pulled her four-year-old son into her lap so she could hug him. "It's all right, baby," she said as she held him close. She could tell his little arms were squeezing her with every ounce of strength he had. "I just need you three to behave a little bit better for Mommy, all right?"

She felt him nod against her shoulder and she leaned back to give him a quick kiss. "I love you," she said.

"I love you, too, Mommy," he replied with a smile.

"No more giving Mommy any trouble, right?" Han said from next to them.

Anakin shook his head and smiled at his father. "No, Daddy."

"Good, now c'mere," Han said as he stretched his arms open and Anakin crawled across Leia's lap to give his father a hug. "Ok, now go back in with your brother and sister and we'll be in in a little while, all right?"

Anakin nodded and climbed down from Han's lap before running back to his bedroom.

"See? They think you're the greatest. And so do I."

Leia shook her head at him. "I don't know how you do it."

He appeared confused. "Do what?"

"Well, a lot of things. But in this case I was thinking about how you're always so sure that everything will be fine. Or how you always seem to come up with the most perfect thing at the most perfect time," she said as she held up the holocube. "I can't believe you did this. Are you ever going to run out of ways to surprise me?"

He shook his head and smiled. "Nope."

She leaned in and hugged him again. "I better be careful or you're going to completely outdo me when it comes to being a wonderful spouse."

"Not a chance, sweetheart. I think you're doing a much better job than you think you are." He paused for a few moments and then asked, "So do you still want to sell the kids to the highest bidder?"

She laughed against his chest and then leaned back to look at him. "No. But maybe we can just rent them out for a week or two?"

"That's more like it."


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: I absolutely, completely thought that I had published this on the blog at some point, but I cannot find it anywhere. If anyone else remembers this or can find it somewhere else, definitely let me know. If not, well, then I guess your special treat here is that this one is new and you definitely haven't read it before! This was not a prompt or a challenge or anything, but rather was inspired by a very pleasant dream I had one night where Han and Leia were kissing on a couch. So, well, I decided it needed a story to go with it. This one takes place after they are married and the kids are young. Enjoy!_

* * *

"I can't find my necklace," Leia said from the bedroom, as she sifted through the stack of pillows on the large bed she shared with her husband.

Han Solo peeked out from the 'fresher where he was brushing his teeth. "Which one?" he asked, his voice slightly muffled as he continued with his task.

"The pendant one that you gave me, with the pictures of the kids inside. I know I had it on earlier."

Han took a moment to look at his wife as she continued moving pillows and looking under blankets. She was wearing a short, purple silk robe, and her brown hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail as both of them were getting ready for bed. Sometimes he wondered how she could always look so adorable to him, and he realized that he had gotten distracted and forgotten that she was looking for some help. "Did you maybe leave it in the living room?"

She stood back from the bed and put her hands on her hips before letting out a frustrated breath. "Maybe. I'll go check."

As she disappeared from the room Han went back into the 'fresher to finish brushing his teeth, then pulled off his shirt and tossed it aside before he began washing his face. He had just finished rinsing off the last of the soap when he heard Leia calling from the next room. "Can you come help me look?"

Han eyed himself in the mirror before grabbing a towel to dry his face. He knew Leia loved that necklace. And he liked the fact that she loved that necklace since he had been the one to give it to her, but they both knew she had had it on sometime within the last few hours, and nobody had come or gone from their home since she'd last had it on. It had to be somewhere, and he wasn't really sure why she seemed to feel the need to find it right this minute. But it seemed like a simple request and he was strangely not in the mood to argue with her at the moment, so he tossed the towel aside and went to find Leia on her hands and knees on the floor, her head bent down looking under the couch.

He knew he was probably supposed to get down on the floor and help her, but at the moment he needed to just wait and admire the view. It took her a few moments before she looked up and realized he was there. "What are you looking at?"

A smirk crossed his lips. "Whad'ya think?"

That got a little smile and blush from her. He loved that even after so many years and three kids together he could still make her blush, and he didn't think he could ever get tired of that smile. She had been such a great mother to their kids, sometimes he needed to remind her that he still looked at her like the beautiful woman that was his wife. "Come on," she said, clearly trying to keep from smiling. "Help me look."

Deciding she had had enough teasing, he went over to the couch and got on his knees before he started digging between the cushions. "Do you remember when you last had it on?"

"I think I still had it on after dinner, but I'm not really..." her voice trailed off as she reached under the cushion of a large chair in the corner of the room. "Wait, I think..." She pulled her hand out and there, dangling from her fingers, was the silver necklace. After breathing a sigh of relief, she said, "Oh, good."

"See?" Han said as he stood back up and looked down at her. "Nothing to worry about."

He took two steps toward her and held out his hand to help her to her feet. Unable to help himself, he pulled her in close and wrapped his arms around her. The silk of the robe felt cool against his bare skin. Her arms came up and slipped around his back, returning the embrace. After a few moments he leaned back to look at her, her brown eyes looking into his and she smiled at him.

Really having no defense against her when she looked at him like that, he couldn't help but lean down to kiss her, which she readily accepted. It was sweet and soft at first as his hands moved up along her silken covered back. Then her hand slipped up onto the back of his neck and pulled him closer, and her lips parted and her tongue brushed against his. He barely noticed when her other hand that had been holding the necklace dropped it on the table next to them and then moved to his back to pull him even closer. Somehow temporarily misplacing that necklace had turned out to be a very good thing.

She felt warm and wonderful in his arms, and the movements of her lips and tongue were making his knees weak, so without breaking the kiss, he lowered her down to the couch and rested his body on top of hers.

He slipped a hand inside her robe and was delighted to discover that she hadn't been wearing anything underneath. It wasn't quite clear how they'd gotten there so quickly, but she seemed just as eager as him when he felt her hands coming down and starting to work on his belt.

"What are you guys doin'?"

Nothing quite felt as close to getting doused by a bucket of ice water while enjoying some intimacy with his wife as the sound or sight of one of their children. They immediately broke the kiss and first just stared at each other, wondering what they should do. It took Han a moment to realize with relief that his pants were still very much on and Leia's robe was still covering everything that needed to be covered even though her legs were still wrapped around his waist. If not for that, he'd already have jumped up off her.

Han and Leia turned to see Jacen standing in the doorway. Six years old now, there was very little chance he had any idea what he was really looking at. "Uh, we're just... hugging, buddy," Han said as he slowly pushed himself up off of his wife, making sure her robe was fully closed as he stood.

"Hugging?"

"Yes," Leia said as she stood up next to Han. "I thought I lost my necklace," she said as she reached down and picked it up off the table. "And Daddy helped me find it, so I gave him a big hug to say thank you."

Jacen shook his head. "You guys are weird."

"And you should be in bed," Han said sternly. "What are you doing up?"

"Can I have some water?" he asked sweetly.

"All right, but then straight to bed, got it?" Leia said as she walked over toward the kitchen and filled a glass for him.

"Ok," the boy replied, taking the water and drinking eagerly.

"Better?" Leia asked as Jacen finished and he nodded. "Ok, I'll come tuck you in," she said before she turned to Han and added, "I'll be right back."

He walked back to their bedroom, hoping he wouldn't have to wait very long. Thankfully, he didn't. "Sorry," Leia said a couple of minutes later when she joined him and then secured the door behind her.

He shook his head at her. "You definitely don't have anything to be sorry about, sweetheart." Taking a few steps toward her, he slipped his hands behind her back and saw the smile coming back to her lips. "Now, where were we?"

"Hmmm... I think we were hugging."

He nodded. "Very grown-up hugging. If that's how you're going to be thanking me for helping you find that necklace I might start hiding it myself."

"Well, you didn't really help, I'm the one who found it."

"I mean, I tried to-"

She cut him off with a finger to his lips. "Do you want to argue or do you want to pick up where we left off out there?"

For the second time that night, he decided he didn't feel much like arguing, and he took one last look at his adoring wife's eyes before leaning down to kiss her.

This time, they were not interrupted.


	13. Living Room Rescue

_A/N: This snippet was very, very loosely inspired by real life events. The injury part, not the good part. Twins are six and Anakin is four._

"Daddy, Daddy!"

Han Solo had been taking a little nap on his bed in the middle of a quiet afternoon. The entire family was home enjoying a day of not doing much of anything. His wife, Leia had been relaxing as well while their three young children. The six-year old twins, Jacen and Jaina, and their four-year old brother, Anakin, had been playing quietly and for once were being generally well behaved. So Han had taken the opportunity to sneak back to bed and doze for a little while.

But his eyes snapped open in alarm at the sound of his young daughter's voice calling to him and heard the quick steps of her little feet as she ran into his bedroom. Han sat up and saw the concerned look on Jaina's face and her wide brown eyes, her pigtails bouncing as she ran to the foot of the bed.

"What is it, honey?"

She was almost jumping up and down as she said, "Mommy fell down!"

Feeling genuine concern of his own, Han was on his feet and lifting Jaina into his arms in one quick swoop before he strode out into the living area. His worst fears were eased somewhat when he saw Leia sitting up and only slightly wincing in pain while she held her foot, their two sons looking at their mother in sympathy and attempting to be strong and offer comfort.

"I kiss it and make it better, Mommy," Anakin said before he leaned in and kissed Leia's shin.

Her wince softened and she reached up to smooth the hair on his head before she said, "Thank you, baby. That made me feel better."

Anakin's blue eyes were beaming as he looked from his mother to his older brother in satisfaction. Han set Jaina down and knelt down next to his wife. "Uh oh, what happened here?"

Leia looked up at her husband in frustration, seeming more embarrassed than anything. "I just rolled my ankle pretty badly. It'll be ok."

"Lemme see," Han said as he moved her hands away from the injured appendage and lifted her leg to look at it, gently trailing his fingers on her delicate skin. She hissed in a breath as he pinched near her ankle. "Does it hurt there?"

Shaking her head, she responded, "Only a little."

"It looks like it's swelling. I think we should get this elevated." Not missing a beat, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her toward the couch with Jacen, Jaina and Anakin following close behind.

"Are you rescuing Mommy, Daddy?" Jacen asked.

"Yeah, buddy, I'm rescuing Mommy. Gotta take care of my lady when she hurts herself, right?"

Han lay Leia down gently on the couch and then reached and grabbed some pillows to prop up her injured ankle. "Comfy?" he asked, and she nodded. "I'm gonna get you some ice." He stood and turned to look at his little brood. "You guys stay here and keep Mommy company, ok?"

The three little Solos all nodded enthusiastically, always so excited to be given some seemingly important task, especially if it involved helping their parents. It made them feel just a little bit important.

Han returned a few moments later with a bag of ice, and he sat down and lifted Leia's legs so they rested in his lap, applying the chilly therapy. Leia winced at the contact with her skin and Han held it steady. "Feel ok?"

"Yeah, I think I can handle it."

Han pulled her foot to his lips and kissed it, and she gave him a little smirk, finally losing the look of annoyance. "Thank you," she said.

"No problem, sweetheart."

Jacen moved to get a closer look at his mother's injured ankle, turning his head to study it intently. "Looks kinda red," he said.

Han mussed his oldest son's hair. "You gonna be a doctor when you grow up?"

Jacen took a moment to consider his answer, then replied, "I think I'm gonna be a doctor for animals."

Leia smiled down at him. "I think that's a great idea. What do you want to be, Jaina?"

Jaina's answer was almost immediate. "I want to be a pilot like Daddy!"

Han's smile widened and Leia looked concerned before she said, "I was afraid of that."

"What about you, Anakin," Han asked. "What do you want to be, buddy?"

Their youngest really took his time to think about his answer as his face scrunched up. Eventually he smiled excitedly and exclaimed, "A Wookiee!"

Han and Leia laughed. "You're gonna have to get a lot harrier, kid," Han said.

"That's ok," Anakin answered. "I'll never be cold!"

"You can't be a Wookiee, Ani," Jacen said.

"Yes I can!"

"No you can't! Uncle Chewie was a Wookiee even when he was little like you."

Anakin looked to be formulating an angry reply to his older brother before Han scooped his youngest son into his arms and stood up. "All right, no more arguing. While Mommy rests in here you three are going to come help me make dinner, got it?" The twins moved away from their mother and started to follow Han into the kitchen. "You let me know if you need anything or if it starts to feel worse," Han said to Leia.

She nodded and relaxed back against the pillows. "And you let me know if you need any help," she said as she nodded her head at the mischievous twins who were already ahead of him on their way to the kitchen.

"Hey, you know I'll be fine," he replied with his usual grin. "We'll be fine, right, buddy?" Han asked Anakin who was still held up against his side.

"Yes!"

Han turned back to Leia. "Told you," he said before tickling Anakin's stomach and then joining the twins in the kitchen.

Leia smiled to herself and then leaned up to adjust the ice on her injured ankle. The pain had subsided some but she could tell it would be a bit premature to try and walk on it. So for once she decided to take this opportunity to shut her eyes, lie back, and relax.

She didn't even know how much time had passed when Han came sauntering into the living room, with a small child slung over each of his shoulders. The third and youngest was clinging to his leg, and all three of them were screeching in laughter as they used their father as a jungle gym. As Han arrived at the couch opposite Leia he grabbed Jaina off one shoulder and threw her down as she giggled, then followed with her twin brother. Finally, he grabbed Anakin off his leg, first made a big show of lifting him high over his head, and then deposited him on the couch next to his older siblings. Han stood triumphantly over his brood and then turned to Leia. "They wanted to come in and see how you were doing."

Leia had to laugh at this display, for multiple reasons. She thought back to when the twins were first born, and the several months that followed. Han typically held them like they were the most delicate things in the universe. Almost like if he breathed on them wrong he might hurt them. By the time they had Anakin he had learned a little better, that these babies were quite a bit more resilient than he originally thought, and he wasn't afraid to hold him slung under one arm. And now he wasn't afraid to grab one of them by the leg and hold them upside down, or throw them onto a soft surface. Or even when they were babies he had gotten into the habit of occasionally throwing them high in the air and catching them. Even Leia's heart nearly stopped when he pulled off that stunt. She knew he would never, ever have done anything that might hurt one of their children, but she couldn't help but be a little bit terrified whenever he did that one and she was somewhat relieved now that they were big enough that he couldn't do that anymore. The kids of course loved this. Playing with Daddy was one of their favorite past times, and Han seemed to enjoy it as well.

Han flopped down on the couch between them all as they fought for space on his lap. She felt a wave of warmth wash over her almost every time she watched her husband interact with their children like this. There was so much love in their house, sometimes she almost couldn't believe it was possible. In between hugging each of them, Han caught Leia's eyes and winked at her in a moment of recognition.

Leia had been asked once how she knew that Han loved her. Now, there were many reasons she could always tell, and he had never done a particularly good job of disguising how he felt about her. Not that there was really any reason for that, especially now. First, she could feel it from him through the Force. He radiated his love for her pretty much every time he was in her presence. It was like a beacon, and she only wished that there was some way that she could get him to feel the same coming from her. There was also, of course, that he would tell her. Not that she really needed him to, but it was still nice to hear, and he didn't seem to hold back in reminding her of that fact either. Lastly was simply his behavior toward her. His actions often spoke volumes about his love for her. The way he looked at her, the way he held her, the way that he was always there for her when she needed him. She never had to worry that he would let her down.

Then of course times like now, seeing him with their children. She had a feeling he would make a good father, but seeing how much he really loved their kids, and how much joy they brought to him, she couldn't even think about it too much as it was almost overwhelming.

He caught her eye again and then lifted each of the kids off his lap and back onto the couch before he stood and went over to her. Gently he lifted her legs so that he could sit underneath them and rested them down on his thighs. His eyes moved in to inspect her injury. "Looks like the swelling went down a little."

She had been so relaxed she had almost entirely forgotten about the pain. "Has it?"

He nodded, his eyes still intently focused on her ankle as he brought his hands to apply gentle pressure. "How's that feel?"

She winced a little. "Not too bad."

"You sure?" he replied, seeming unconvinced.

Before she could answer, Anakin climbed up into her lap and snuggled up against her side.

Leia reached up and gently stroked his hair. "Well, now I'm definitely feeling better."

Han smiled and looked at his wife. "You want me to take him?"

Leia wrapped her arms around her son and hugged him a little tighter, feeling him squeeze her back affectionately. "No, I think I'll keep this one for now. He's fine." Her eyes wandered over to the twins who were still on the couch, only now they seemed to be practicing their somersaults. "Those two you might want to keep away from Mommy for a little while longer so they don't accidentally land where I don't want them to land."

He smiled at her and then moved to stand. "I think I can handle that." Leaning down, he kissed her gently and smiled again before he ran a hand over Anakin's head. "You take care of Mommy, got it?"

The boy nodded and smiled, and Han went and grabbed a twin under each arm as they shrieked in mock terror. "Come on, we're not done with dinner yet."

Leia smiled as she watched them disappear into the kitchen. She decided that later on she was going to remind Han how much she loved him right after she let him carry her to bed.


	14. Morning Caf

**_A/N: This is for Knighted Rogue, who was like... I want Han bringing Leia caf in bed! Well, here you go..._**

* * *

The morning light poured in through the transparisteel window, illuminating the bedroom. Han Solo had awakened, but not yet opened his eyes. He had not quite decided if he was ready to get out of bed. As his awareness slowly returned he realized he could feel the warm breath of his wife tickling his shoulder as she exhaled beside him.

Leia had returned home the night before after the rest of the family had gone to sleep. Something about some late meetings, and she had told him not to wait up. In fact he had been so sound asleep when she returned that he didn't even hear her come in or notice her presence until he felt her snuggle up next to him under the blankets. He awakened just enough to kiss the top of her head and then almost immediately went back to sleep.

Opening his eyes now, he glanced over to the other side of the bed. He'd been asleep on his back and Leia was curled up on her side facing him, not touching him but with her face only a centim or two away from his arm. She looked so peaceful, and he knew that given the late hour of her return she needed more sleep this morning than he did. Gently he slid out from under the blankets and slipped into the 'fresher, quietly completing his morning routine. After sliding on a pair of dark blue lounge pants and a white t-shirt he headed out toward the kitchen to start a pot of caf.

It was a rare luxury for Leia to get to sleep in, but Han intended to let her stay in bed as long as she wanted this morning. And he always enjoyed being able to get her a cup of caf before she got out of bed. "Daddy!" Han heard as he turned to see one of the three main reasons Leia so rarely got to sleep in. Anakin ran into the kitchen, his stuffed pal Wookiee tucked under his arm as usual, and hurled himself into his father's arms.

Han hoisted his youngest son up against his chest and gave him a quick hug and kiss. "Mornin', buddy."

"Where's Mommy?"

"Mommy's gonna stay in bed a little longer, she got home late last night. You hungry?"

The boy nodded and Han set him back down on his feet. "Let's fix that," Han said as Anakin went to take his spot at the kitchen table. Han found Anakin to be a lot more agreeable than his older siblings had been at four years old. The twins seemed to enjoy testing their parents' patience. Han and Leia were never quite sure what it was that made him so different, if it was his general temperament or the fact that as the youngest with two older siblings already, and it was simply a requirement of his position to get by in their family. Han didn't particularly care the reason, he was just glad his second son was so easy going. And he thanked the gods that now at six the twins seemed to no longer test their parents' limits like it was their job.

Speaking of twins, Han saw Jacen and Jaina emerge from their rooms. "Hey, look who's here. You guys want breakfast too?"

They both smiled and Jaina yelled, "Pancakes!"

Jacen's eyes brightened at the suggestion and Han looked over at Anakin. "What do you think, does that sound good?"

"Yeah!" Anakin replied, and Han wondered if the rest of the morning was going to go this smoothly, because it was rare that all three of his children so readily agreed on what they wanted for breakfast. Rather than question it, he simply went to the pantry to take out the ingredients while the kids chatted at the breakfast table about typical kid things, like how difficult it might be to ride a Bantha or which one of them would later be the first to get to fly their Uncle Luke's X-wing. It reminded Han that he was both excited for that but also terrified of how quickly that time might come.

His thoughts were interrupted by the beep that indicated the caf was ready. He filled Leia's favorite mug and started walking back toward their bedroom before Jacen asked. "Where are you going?"

"I'm just bringin' this to Mom. I'll be right back."

"Can I bring it?" Anakin asked.

"Sorry, buddy, it's really hot."

"Can I come see Mommy?"

"No, Mommy's still asleep."

"So why does she need caf then if she isn't awake?"

Leave it to Jaina to ask the logical questions. "I just want her to have it there when she wakes up."

"Why?" Jacen asked.

Han nearly started laughing at the amount of questions he had to answer about such a simple thing and shook his head. "Just… just wait out here. You want pancakes?"

All three heads nodded. "Then sit tight and I'll be right back to make them, got it?"

They looked a little disappointed but agreed as Han finally headed toward the bedroom.

* * *

Leia had barely even realized she was awake yet when she opened her eyes to find Han's side of the bed empty. She didn't even get an opportunity to wonder where he'd gone when she heard him come back in the door and she rolled onto her back to see him approach the bed, steaming mug in his hands. "Good morning, sweetheart."

"Good morning," she replied as she stretched her arms up over her head.

He smiled as he walked over and sat down on the bed next to her, placing the mug on the bedside table. "I thought you might want this."

"Thank you, I do." She sat up against the pillows and reached over to pick up the warm mug, bringing it to her lips and taking a small sip. "Mmmm… perfect." It wasn't particularly rare for Han to bring her caf in the morning, but it was a little rare for her to get to savor it. Such a simple and small gesture, but so greatly appreciated. After another sip she asked, "Are the kids up?"

Han glanced over at the chrono and then back to Leia. "You think _our_ kids would still be asleep at this hour? Maybe when they're teenagers."

She smiled at him and then reached over and squeezed his knee. After ten years together, he still went out of his way to do things like this for her. And she thought again, for maybe the thousandth time, that even though she had seen him in some of the finest of formal attire, she preferred him like this - relaxed and comfortable, yet somehow even more handsome than he'd ever been. "I'll be out in a minute."

He shook his head. "No, don't worry about it. Stay in bed a little longer, I've got breakfast taken care of. You were out pretty late."

Nodding in agreement, she took another sip of the caf. "I was. Just give me a shout if you change your mind," she said as she smiled at him. There was no reason really for her to say it. If Han had decided that he was going to give her a little extra time, unless there was some sort of true emergency, he was not going to come and get her. "Thank you," she said and she tilted her head up as he accepted her invitation and leaned in to kiss her.

He smiled at her and then brushed her hair behind her ear and cupped her face in his warm hand. "You're welcome. Take as long as you need, we've got pancakes when you're ready. I'd stay, but you know, in about ninety seconds you'd probably be buried under a pile of impatient kids. Which is exactly what I'm trying to avoid for you, so…." Leia settled back down into the pillows as he kissed her forehead more time and stood to leave. Leia brought the mug close to her chest and inhaled the lovely aroma. Yes, she thought, a little extra time in bed was just what she needed.

Later, when she finally finished her caf, she placed the now empty mug on the night stand and rolled back to stretch one more time. After a brief stop in the 'fresher she finally emerged into the kitchen to find the rest of her family happily talking and still eating. The three children were seated at the table while Han had just put a few more pancakes on a plate and put them in front of Jacen before sitting down in his chair. Yes, maybe staying in bed was nice, but this was certainly better.

It took them longer than she expected to notice her, and Anakin's eyes brightened before he excitedly said, "Mommy!"

Leia walked over and put her hands on his shoulders and leaned over to kiss the top of his head. "Good morning, sweetie."

"Daddy made pancakes," Jacen told her, in case she hadn't already noticed.

"I can see that," she said as she sat in the empty seat beside him.

Leia had been sitting for about five seconds before Anakin vacated his chair and came over to climb into her lap.

"Hey, buddy, you want to give Mommy some space to eat?"

Leia looked over at her husband, appreciating his effort but she shook her head. "Don't worry, he's fine. I've been eating with a kid in my lap for years."

"You sure?"

She nodded again. "Can you bring me a plate, please?"

He smiled and stood to head back to the counter, sliding a few pancakes onto the plate and then putting them in front of her.

"Thank you," Leia said as Han smiled at her again.

Leia moved Anakin to her left side and held him close while she grabbed the fork with her right hand and took her first bite. She had of course eaten many a meal with a child in her lap over the last six years. She couldn't tell if she was happy or sad that these instances were becoming few and far between. The good news was that at this age, Anakin was no longer really interested in interrupting her eating, he just wanted to be close to her.

After another bite she saw Jaina get up from her chair and go over to Han and climb up under his arm and into his lap. "What, you, too?" Han said in mock annoyance with a mouthful of pancakes. Jaina simply gave him a little smile and settled back in against his chest.

Jacen looked to Leia and then back at his father. It only took him a moment to decide which option had more space and he headed over to climb up on Han's knee next to his sister. Han smiled in surrender and wrapped an arm around the middle of each of the twins. "Well, now this isn't fair. I don't have any hands left for eating."

Jaina reached in front of her and grabbed the fork on Han's plate, taking a piece of pancake and holding it up towards Han's mouth. "Here!"

Han smiled across the table at Leia and then leaned down and took a bite. "Mmmm… thanks, kiddo."

Leia added a little more syrup and then kept eating. Looking across at Han with a twin on each knee it was quite obvious that it would not be much longer that they both would fit. And for about the thousandth time in their childhoods she wondered if it might be possible, at least temporarily, to freeze time. Perhaps a question for Luke later.

Taking one more bite Han looked down at the twins and asked, "You guys done?"

"Yeah," they said as Han helped them hop down off his lap.

"All right let's bring these plates over to the sink," he said as he led them to their chairs and they did as they were told. Han took the plates and put them in the sink, then went back to grab his own.

"Here," Leia said. "You can take mine, too."

Han walked over and took the plate, adding it to the pile in the sink.

Leia wrapped both her arms around Anakin and gave him a little squeeze. "Can I get up now, sweetie?"

"Sure," Anakin said as he hopped down onto the floor.

Leia watched the kids disappear into the living room to play and smiled, hoping that the rest of the day would go as pleasantly as the morning had. Han was intently working on washing the dishes as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face against his strong back and giving him a gentle squeeze.

"I love it when you wash the dishes," she joked.

He laughed a little and she could feel his low voice rumbling through his back when he replied, "That's the only reason I do it. Because it turns you on."

"Oh, is that why?" she said as she slid her hands up to press against his chest. "Well, it's working."

He turned in her arms and hugged her close, his eyes meeting hers. "Do you promise to bring me caf in bed even when we're old and these kids don't live with us anymore?"

He nodded. "Always. Anytime you want, Princess."

She was never quite sure how exactly you could _see_ the love in a person's eyes. But every time she looked into those hazel depths, that was exactly what she saw. She tried not to think too much about their kids growing up to fast, but it was incredibly comforting to know that even when they were out of the house and they couldn't see them every day, Han would still be there. Waking up next to her every morning, and starting her day with a cup of caf in their bed.

He bent down and kissed her softly, and she gave him one last smile and then went to join their children in the living room for another day of wonderful chaos.


	15. Words of Wisdom

"Only one more day as a single man, Lando," Han Solo said before taking a sip from his bottle of Corellian Ale and patting his friend on the shoulder.

The two men were seated side by side on stools at the bar; the last remaining after an evening of drinking and stories at one of the more upscale establishments on Coruscant. Music played gently in the background and the light wasn't quite as dim as in some of the seedier places. The group was far beyond their twenties and the evening was more subdued than one might have expected from them under similar circumstances if it had taken place many years ago. Nobody had run the risk of getting arrested, but an enjoyable time was had by all.

Han was happy that Lando was finally settling down. The groom had certainly enjoyed his single life, but Han suspected that his friend, like himself, would be quite happy being married.

"I guess so," Lando answered, and Han could sense an uncharacteristic lack of confidence in his friend's voice.

Han placed an arm on Lando's shoulder in reassurance. "Tendra is a great girl, buddy. I think you're gonna like married life."

Lando tipped his glass and downed the rest of his liquor, cringing a bit as he swallowed and set the glass back down on the bar. "I know she's a great girl, which is why I asked her in the first place. I guess maybe I'm just starting to get a little worried that things will change."

Lando hadn't looked at him when he said this, and Han just smiled to himself, understanding his friend's fears. "Well, buddy, you're right. Things do change."

Lando's eyes snapped up to look at Han, his brow furrowed in worry. "You're my oldest friend, Han. I love Leia, too, but you owe it to me to tell me the truth."

Han gave him knowing smile, glad that he would be able ease his friend's fears. "Listen to me," Han said, his voice growing serious and a little more quiet as he leaned in closer. "Things aren't always going to be exactly the same. You know I love Leia, right?"

"That did seem pretty obvious, yeah."

"Ok, well, I can also tell you pretty much without a doubt that she loves me."

"That also seemed pretty obvious."

Han grinned again. "The truth is, as much as I loved her the day I married her, I love her even more now. She can still surprise me sometimes. And even better is that I still just love being around her. Now, I'll admit, maybe I just got lucky, and I know that's part of it, but I've seen the way Tendra looks at you, and I've seen the way you look at her, and I don't think there's any reason things can't get even better."

Lando visibly relaxed as he listened. Han had to fight to keep from laughing at his friend's nervousness. "You sure you're not just telling me that to make me feel better, right?"

"Lando, you've known me for a long time. You've seen me and Leia from the beginning. Do you really think I'm lying to you?"

"Nah, just checking, old man."

"Hey, you're older than me, you know that? Marrying Leia was the best decision I ever made. That and having kids with her. I don't know if you and Tendra have talked about it, but I can't even tell you how much I love my kids."

"Yeah, well, they seem to think awfully highly of their dad. Someday I'll have to talk some sense into them," Lando said with a wink.

"Don't even think about it. My kids think I'm pretty great and I intend to keep it that way." Han turned his wrist to look at his chrono. "Speaking of the wife and kids, I hate to break up this party, but I really should get home. And so should you. Big couple of days coming up."

Lando downed one last shot of alcohol and slammed the glass on the counter. "Right, I'm sure the old wife is waiting for you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Han said as he smiled and winked at his friend.

"Right, well thanks for the talk."

Han clapped his friend on the back and drank the rest of his ale in a final gulp. "Don't mention it. She's a great lady. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just keep loving her and don't get complacent and you'll be fine."

"All right, go on home to your wife," Lando said, walking off in the other direction.

"Looking forward to it," Han said as he headed towards the exit.

It was a very short trip from the bar to the Solo home, and Han crept in quietly so as not to disturb his sleeping family. Feeling a bit sentimental, he decided to check on his children, finding them as quiet and content as ever, snuggled up in their beds and dead to the universe. He smiled to himself, wishing there was some way he could keep them from growing up any further. Although the older they got the more he could share with them, and _that_ he had been enjoying immensely. He could hardly believe the pride he felt when he'd teach them some new thing that they finally started to master.

After leaving their room, he made his way back to the master suite; the room completely dark and his wife sound asleep in a lump on their bed. He'd meant what he had said to Lando. He truly did love her more every day and considered himself incredibly lucky to get to wake up next to her each morning.

He quickly used the fresher before taking off his clothes and crawling into bed next to Leia. His intention was simply to snuggle up behind her and not disturb her, but he knew her too well and as expected, the moment she felt his weight as he lowered himself to the mattress, she rolled over to greet him. That wasn't such a bad thing, he decided quickly.

"Hi," she said sleepily, her hand coming up to rest against his cheek as he moved in close.

"Hi," he said back before giving her a gentle and slightly lingering kiss.

"I didn't want to wake you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It's all right," she said. "I got the kids to bed nice and early and it didn't take me long to fall asleep myself. How was Lando? You didn't get into any trouble, did you?"

"Nah," he said, his head resting on the pillow as he faced her. "We're old men now. A few drinks, a few laughs, and a few words of encouragement."

He could see her eyes widen even in the darkness. "Lando needed encouragement?"

"Only a little. He just wanted to make sure that marriage wasn't the horrible prison some make it out to be."

"And you told him about the horrible shrew your wife was, right?" Her voice was soft and teasing, and her palm was still resting warmly against his cheek. 'Horrible shrew' was definitely not a term he would ever use to describe his Leia.

"I did, but I only tell people that so I get to keep you all to myself," he said as he leaned in and kissed her a little bit longer, feeling her hand slide from his cheek to the back of his neck. His lips moved down to her neck and he said, "I didn't even tell him about my favorite part of being married to you."

"Mmm," she said, enjoying his touch as his hands wandered. "And what might that be?"

"I think it'll be better if I just show you. But first, you're overdressed."

She playfully resisted him as he started to pull down the straps of her nightgown. "Well, I get cold when I go to bed and you're not here with me."

"Well, now that I'm back…" his voice trailed off and it didn't take him long to remove the rest of her clothing and have her nearly breathless beneath him.

Afterwards, Leia had her head resting on Han's chest. He heard and felt Leia heave a sigh of contentment and smiled to himself as his fingers played with her silky, smooth hair.

She gave him a little squeeze and then he heard her voice. "Tomorrow should be fun. I'm glad you convinced Lando that marriage isn't so bad."

"Well, what would you have told Tendra if she asked you?"

"I don't know. I know Lando a little too well to send someone off to live with that forever," she joked and Han laughed.

"Come on, really," Han urged.

"Well, I'd probably tell her that with the right person it's better than you can even imagine."

"Hmmm… and do you think you picked the right person?"

"I thought you were the one who picked me?" she said.

"You're right. And I've never regretted that decision."

"I love you," she said, and he could feel her relaxing against him, likely very near falling asleep.

"I love you," he said before leaning down to kiss her forehead and settle back into the pillows.

Han thought back to when he had married Leia. He remembered mostly just being excited about it, but like anyone, he did wonder if things would always be so good between them. As he held her there now, he again felt more content in his life than he'd ever thought possible. And at the wedding, with their kids in tow, he'd enjoy watching his friend set off on the same journey.

For now, he'd fall asleep with Leia beside him and know that things for them would only keep getting better.


	16. Reassurance

**_A/N: Another random one that I had part of on my hard drive and decided to finish. Extreme sap alert ahead..._**

* * *

His chest felt like it was being compressed from all sides as he fought for breath. It was almost as though his lungs were shrinking, and there was nothing he could do to stop them. He tried to scream but no sound came. _Need to breathe... need to breathe..._

Han Solo sat up quickly in bed, his breath coming in short gasps and his heart thundering in his chest. Looking around the darkened room, it took him a moment to remember where he was. His bedroom. _Their_ bedroom. Glancing next to him he saw his wife Leia, curled up on her side facing away from him, sleeping peacefully. He was so relieved to see her, and also glad that he had not awakened her. Without being able to help himself he reached over and placed his hand against her warm back, just checking to make sure she was there with him and he was no longer caught in the grips of his bad dream.

He felt her body rise and fall as she inhaled and exhaled. It helped calm his own breathing back to a normal rhythm, and his heart rate to settle back down. Even sound asleep she could do wonders for him. After wiping a bit of sweat from his forehead, he needed a few minutes to regroup, so he got up and threw on some pants and headed out into the living room.

He sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands, annoyed to find his hair slightly damp from sweat. It had been a while since he'd had a nightmare that really threw him like this. And this was an entirely new nightmare. Normally his nightmares involved closed spaces; or at least they had since that damn carbonite. But this time, he was dreaming of Leia, which normally wasn't a bad thing. But she was holding their babies and they were all being taken away from him, and he was trying to get to them but they always remained out of reach. The thought of losing Leia was absolutely terrifying to him, and now the thought of not being able to protect their children only made things worse.

They didn't even have children yet. Leia was about six months pregnant with their twins, so it wouldn't be long. He was excited to have a family, and often couldn't believe what his life had become. But sometimes, at times like this, he was suddenly once again very aware that he had absolutely no idea how to take care of kids. He had no idea what to do; how to hold a baby, how you knew when to feed them, or how much sleep they needed, or how to stop them from crying. Who in the hell did he think he was, becoming a father like this? Sure, he and Leia had talked about it, they'd read about it, but there just didn't seem to be any way that could possibly prepare him for actually _doing_ it.

He realized his breathing rate had increased again and he let out a sigh before he heard a low growl. Startled, he looked up. "Oh, it's you."

Chewbacca came over and sat down next to him in the darkness. The Wookiee was visiting for a few days. [Are you all right?]

"Yeah, just couldn't sleep."

[Is that all it is?]

Han looked at his oldest, most trusted friend. "Chewie, how the hell am I supposed to know anything about being a father?"

[Cub, nobody knows until their children show up. You will be fine.]

"How do you know that? I can't even remember the last time I even _saw_ a baby. How am I supposed to know how to take care of one?"

[Have you talked to Leia about this?]

"She's got enough to worry about without having to worry that I'm going to be a terrible father and have no idea what I'm doing."

[Did you ever stop and think that maybe she is scared too? She has not raised a child either.]

"That's true. But this is Leia we're talking about. She can handle anything."

[And I believe part of the reason she married you is because she thinks that you can handle anything as well.]

Han smirked and looked up at Chewie. "I don't know, I think she's smart enough to have figured out by now that's not true."

[Is it?] Chewie asked, but Han could tell he wasn't really looking for an answer.

Taking another deep breath he ran his fingers through his still-damp hair, then spoke even more quietly. "I love her so much, Chewie. I don't want to let her down."

Just as Han felt a warm Wookiee paw pat him reassuringly on the shoulder, he heard another familiar voice from behind him. "You're not going to let me down."

Startled, he swung his head around to see Leia standing behind him in the doorway, draped in a long white robe that accentuated her swollen middle. She started moving towards him on the couch as Han felt Chewie muss his hair and stand up. [I'll leave you two alone,] he said as he walked over and gave Leia a quick hug and headed back to his bedroom.

Leia sat with the side of her body touching his and immediately started running her hand over his back soothingly. "Are you okay?"

He was still a little embarrassed. They'd been together now for several years, married for almost three, and had seen each other through some difficult things. But he never liked for her to see him rattled like this. He was supposed to be her rock. The man she could rely on to reassure her through anything and everything. Especially things that might affect both of them. "Yeah, sorry. Just had a bad dream."

She leaned over and kissed his arm, then rested her chin on his shoulder. "Are you sure that's all it is?"

Her fingers started running through the hair on the back of his head, and when he looked down and saw those gorgeous brown eyes staring up at him, felt her warm body pressed against his, any bit of armor he even attempted to keep up just melted away and he felt all the tenseness in his muscles relax. After taking a deep breath, he started to speak. "I just... I just don't want to mess this up."

"Mess what up?"

Again he took another moment before he could make himself answer. "Being a father."

"And what makes you worried you might mess it up?"

He almost laughed at the question. Was it not obvious? "Come on, Leia. How does a guy like me have any idea how to be a father?"

She leaned in even closer then, her hand still playing with his hair while her other hand reached out and intertwined her fingers with his. "Han, I _chose_ you to be their father because of the kind of guy you are. I have no doubts that you can handle this. None. And I'm scared, too."

"I know, sweetheart," he said softly. "I know you're scared, which is why I didn't want you to know I was nervous about it."

"I don't want you to hide how you're feeling just because you're worried about me. To be honest I'm a little relieved to hear that you're nervous. It can get a little tiring when you act like you always have everything totally figured out."

That got a little laugh out of him and he played with her fingers in his hand. "It's the only way I know how to trick you into thinking I'm good enough for you."

"You don't need to trick me to make me think that," she said before leaning in to kiss his temple. "Listen, I know you worry, because you didn't get to have a father growing up, so you don't know what it's like."

He winced a little, and stared back down at the floor. This worrying stuff was driving him crazy.

Leia continued. "But as far as I know you also had no idea how to be a husband either. And I know performance reviews aren't due until the end of the year, but let me just tell you right now, I think you're doing a pretty great job with that."

He turned to look at her again, seeing her eyes shining up at him and he wondered for at least the thousandth time how he had gotten so lucky, and how it was she had so much faith in him. "You sure I'm not gonna let you down?"

She nodded. "You haven't so far. I would never choose someone who would let me down, and you know what high standards I have."

Grinning, he leaned in and kissed her gently a few times before leaning back and resting his forehead against hers. "I love you so much."

She kissed him again. "I know you do. Which is another reason I'm not worried about you letting me down. Now will you come back to bed? I'm exhausted and I don't like sleeping alone in there."

He responded by simply standing and helping her to her feet. She was certainly moving a little slower these days, but he had no problem helping her out as she leaned heavily against his side, her arm wrapped around his waist as he guided her back to their bedroom.

He let her crawl under the blankets first, resuming her spot curled up on her side. Sliding up behind her he wrapped an arm over her and pulled her in close so her entire body was pressed against his, his hand resting on her stomach. Still sometimes he could not believe what his life had become. To have this amazing woman in his arms that he loved more than anything, and who by some miracle of the gods not only loved him too but also trusted him and had complete faith in him. He never had any intention of giving her a reason to doubt that faith, either. Leia was almost never wrong, so if she thought he could handle it, she was probably right. He took a few more deep breaths, kissed the top of her head, and fell back asleep, ready for much more pleasant dreams.


	17. Surprise Guests

**_A/N: This story was originally published for a holiday challenge on the Han and Leia fanfic writers' blog_**

As she boiled the water for hot chocolate, Leia Solo thought fondly back to how her husband Han had appeared when she had met him. He would have been the first to tell you that he was loyal to nothing and nobody but himself; bu it hadn't taken her very long to see that was completely untrue. And it only took her slightly longer to discover that in fact, the exact opposite was true. He was perhaps one of the most loyal men she had ever met. It just happened that he was picky about who he was loyal _to_.

All you really needed to do was see how he felt about his ship to come to this conclusion. It was old, rickety, beat up, and it didn't even always work right. But if for even one second you tried to suggest that maybe he would be better off starting with a new one he would be personally insulted. That ship was his baby. Well, his first baby, she supposed. It wasn't just a ship to him; it had a history, and was full of not just memories but his actual blood, sweat and tears. Things like that could not be thrown away and replaced, even if they were shinier and newer and actually worked every time you needed them to. This knowledge had been comforting for her to think about when she imagined how he might feel about her as she got older and more worn out.

His loyalty was certainly not limited to just his ship. It was quite obvious from early on how loyal he was to Chewbacca. Sure, he would often act annoyed that the Wookiee had insisted that he tag along and wouldn't leave him alone and was so damn annoying by hovering over him all the time. But his act hardly fooled anyone. Han was almost as protective of Chewie as Chewie was of Han. The two were as close as brothers.

If all of that hadn't been enough to blow his cover, then certainly how he had almost immediately come back to help Luke and the Rebels had taken care of it. She sometimes had to fight herself from rubbing it in his face, and instead opted simply for gratitude. She had then denied for years that any of his loyalty had been directed at her, but certainly it hadn't taken very long to be forced to accept it as well. And now, nearly twenty years after that incident, she was eternally grateful for it.

Aside from just loyalty, it was also very apparent just how _attached_ he became to those closest to him. She first noticed it with Chewie, but then it became obvious that he was also fairly attached to Luke. Reluctantly she was finally forced to come to terms with how attached he had become to her. Now this was something she cherished about him as she had become completely attached to him as well, but for a time it had been downright terrifying to realize.

And now, he was quite attached to their children. She hadn't expected him not to be, but seeing how Han behaved around them, and the way his face lit up when he saw them and when they saw him, and how much he loved them and loved spending time with them had only further cemented how glad she was that she had taken that chance with him. The kids had brought them so much happiness over the years, and she and Han could not imagine life without them.

Perhaps this was why over the last few days Han had been spending so much time moping. Han Solo wasn't generally one to _mope,_ of all things. But the new year was approaching, which had traditionally been more of a family affair. The kids were all teenagers now, and Leia had taken her time coming clean and telling Han that they would not be home in time to celebrate with their parents. He acted as though it was no big deal, but she could tell how disappointed he was. He seemed to be taking their growing up harder than she was. Perhaps because it had taken him so long to find a family in the first place, he was less willing to let things change and move forward. In some of his darker moments, on the rare occasions he still had nightmares, she was aware that one of his biggest fears was having those kids taken away from him. He was still adjusting to the idea that he would not always be there to see to their safety.

And sure, they enjoyed the time alone at first. There were some perks to having the house to themselves. But as much as Han and Leia enjoyed each other's company, and the luxuries that time alone had afforded them, there were still a lot more hours in the day to fill, and the quiet of a near-empty apartment had worn on both of them. Especially at this time of year.

It could've been easy for Leia to take this personally, to think that she wouldn't be enough for him once the kids had moved out. But she wasn't worried about that. Not really. If there was anything in this galaxy she could rely on completely it was Han's love and devotion to her. She knew they would figure it out. And she also looked forward to some years down the line when their children would bless them with grandchildren. Not to mention she was pretty sure that wherever their kids ended up, they would still make time to visit. The attachment certainly didn't only work in one direction.

None of this would be comforting to Han right now though. He was much more concerned with the present, and presently all he could think about was that his kids were slipping away from them and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Leia felt a little pang of guilt as she felt his disappointment. Soon, she thought. He would feel a lot better soon.

The sun had just gone down Han had been busying himself by polishing his boots, seated on the couch in the living room of their apartment. He seemed to always gravitate to the most tedious of tasks when he needed to distract himself. Leia approached him with a warm mug of hot chocolate, hoping to cheer him up just a little bit.

"I think you shined them up enough," Leia said, glancing down at the now-immaculate boots in his hands. He'd been at it for at least three times as long as he needed to be.

He hadn't even noticed her coming as she approached from behind him and slid to sit next to him on the couch and placed the mug in front of him, holding onto her own. "I thought you might like this."

He gave her a half-hearted smile. "Thanks."

Leia rested her head against his shoulder and waited a moment to see if he might say anything else, then told him, "I miss them, too."

"I know," he said as he leaned his head against hers. "You aren't gonna leave me too, right?"

She shook her head and then leaned away to look into his eyes. "Never." After sharing a brief kiss she leaned back to take another sip of her hot chocolate. "You know, we should probably make dinner soon."

He heaved a sigh. "Yeah, I s'pose. You bought an awful lot of food considering it's just the two of us this year."

"You think so? You never know who might drop by."

"I thought the Skywalker clan was doing their own thing?"

"They are, but-"

Finally she was cut off by the sound of the door opening, and three very familiar voices filled the air. Han was startled at first and Leia could see his face turn from confusion to pure joy as he watched Jacen, Jaina and Anakin come through the doorway.

"He looks surprised," Jacen said. "Did you actually manage to keep it a secret?" Jacen said to his mother.

Leia gave a small smile and Han looked at her in disbelief. "You knew about this?"

"Of course I knew. They couldn't surprise me even if they wanted to," she said, reminding him that with her Force abilities she would always know if they were nearby. There were times when he found this fact more than a little unfair, but right now, he seemed to happy to care.

Han stood and walked towards his children. "Well, don't just stand there, come give your old dad a hug."

The three young Solos all smiled and went to hug their father. They'd only been gone a couple of weeks, but Han still wasn't used to these more lengthy absences. He vastly preferred having his entire family under one roof. Leia had to admit that she did too, but it was just a fact of life that children grew up and moved onto their own lives.

Each of the kids went to hug Leia as well and Han still looked stunned in disbelief. "Now you know why I got all that food," she said to her husband.

"Did you say food? 'Cause I'm starving," Anakin said.

"We didn't make dinner yet, but there are plenty of snacks," Leia said as her youngest son smiled and headed straight for the kitchen.

"I'm going to drop my stuff in my room and change clothes," Jaina said as she headed back down the hallway.

"Me, too," Jacen added as he followed behind her.

Han was still standing in front of the couch, a satisfied grin on his face. Leia slipped her arms around his mid section and gave him a squeeze. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. They wanted to surprise you."

His arms enveloped her and he held her close. "And you just let me spend all day being miserable?"

"You mad?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"No," he replied, kissing the top of her head. "But don't do that to me again."

"I won't," she said, giving him one more squeeze and then leaning away to look up at him. "Should we get started on dinner?"

"We better, or Anakin might eat everything before we get to it."

Leia smiled and took his hand before leading him back to the kitchen. He certainly appeared a lot more enthusiastic about the evening than he had a few minutes ago.

Leia had to admit, so was she. They both knew that these days would not last forever, but they would certainly enjoy them while they could.


	18. Favorites

_**A/N: I hope you aren't sick of sappy Han, because there is more of that here. Again.**_

* * *

Han Solo was feeling immensely relaxed and content. He took a sip from his bottle of Corellian ale and exhaled slowly, his gaze looking out over the calm waters of the lake in front of him. It had been several months since he and Leia had brought the kids to their home on Corellia. Leia was actually the one who had insisted this time that they needed a few weeks to unwind, and Han had hardly let her finish suggesting it before saying yes.

The house was not extravagant, but it was remote and private and offered the Solo family quiet sanctuary, which was all they really needed. After having spent so much of his life happily flying in space Han never would've pictured himself as someone who might enjoy staying in a secluded spot on solid ground for an extended period of time. And yet there he was doing just that. It felt more like home than anything else he'd ever experienced, although he was sure there was more to that feeling than just the location or the house.

When he looked to his left, down at his oldest son who happened to be seated next to him on the front porch overlooking the moonlit water, it was quite obvious why he had grown to like this so much.

"Have you been to that one, Daddy?" Jacen said as he pointed up at a star.

"Carida. Sure have, buddy."

The kids were well aware that their father had spent a lot of time flying all over the galaxy, and they were endlessly fascinated by just how many places he had been. Han had to admit that he often couldn't believe it either that he had been to so many planets. So it wasn't unusual for one of them to start asking him about various stars and planets visible in the sky. Han knew he had seen a whole lot of that galaxy, but it wasn't until the kids had started asking specifics that he truly realized just how much of it he had seen.

"What about that one?" The boy's finger pointed to another bright light in the sky.

"Dantooine, a couple of times."

"Ok, how about that one?"

"Hmmm… Nal Hutta," Han said, leaving off the bit of commentary he wanted to add.

"Which one is your favorite?"

"Of those?"

"Of all of them. Which one is your favorite?"

Han pulled Jacen in tight against his side. "My favorite is whichever one you, your mom and your brother and sister are on."

Jacen smiled at his father. "How come?"

"Because wherever you are, that's where I want to be."

Just as he finished his sentence Han heard the door behind him and turned to see Leia approaching.

Jacen also turned to see his mother and asked her the same question. "What about you, Mommy? Which one is your favorite?"

Leia walked around to Han's side and slipped a hand down around his shoulder, leaning against him. "I think mine is the same as Daddy's: wherever you are. So right now, this is my favorite."

Han glanced up at his wife of ten years to see her smiling down at their son. She had never failed to captivate him, but there was something especially endearing about her when they spent time away from everything. She just seemed so much lighter, so much more content. It made him want to keep her here forever. She looked especially gorgeous as well in a yellow linen sundress, and her dark hair pulled back in a simple ponytail. This was where she most easily got to stop being the princess or the New Republic official, and just got to be Leia. He had a feelings she liked that, too. He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her in even closer.

"I think this is my favorite too," Jacen said as he looked at his mother.

"Good," Leia said before reaching down to run her fingers through his hair. "But I think now it's time for you to go brush your teeth and get ready for bed. Go ahead, Jaina and Anakin are already in there."

He looked slightly disappointed, but he stood without argument and headed towards the door. Han knew from experience that the lack of protest meant that his son was exhausted. Although after the travel and spending much of the afternoon swimming and playing in the lake, this was not at all surprising. "Daddy and I will be in soon to tuck you in, ok?" Jacen nodded and disappeared inside.

With a gentle pull Han maneuvered his wife until she was sitting across his lap with her arms wrapped around his neck. While this sort of thing had become completely natural and almost routine, it was no less enjoyable. He hoped more than anything that Leia felt the same contentment that he did, although he wasn't entirely sure that was possible. Just having her there with him felt like more than enough, but then there was the way she would look at him and smile. As though she had read his mind, she leaned down and kissed him.

"The kids are exhausted, and this means we are going to bed early tonight, too," she arched her eyebrow suggestively at him.

"I think I like the sound of that," he said.

All he'd really wanted to do in this life is be able to wake up next to her every single day, but he had gotten so much more than that. After so many years living mostly on a spaceship and breathing recycled air, it felt surreal to have a home on a beautiful planet with fresh air, water, trees, and even a sun that rose and set every day. No setting night cycles on the _Falcon_ , no trying to guess what time it was on whatever planet they were headed to. Then of course being able to spend all this time with their kids. They were also quite happy when they came here, and often Han couldn't believe the kind of life he and Leia had given them. He'd been living this life for a long time now, but he still hadn't quite gotten over the fact that was more than he could've even dreamed of before.

So when he looked at Leia and just smiled, he felt like maybe one of his greatest feats was to be able to act like all of this was totally no big deal and it was just a normal thing to be living this life.

"I'm going to go tuck them in," she said as she stood and started for the door.

"I'll be in in a minute," Han said as he watched her go.

He took another moment just to look out at the calm water as the only sounds were some slight breezes in the trees and a few distant birds. Yes, currently this planet was definitely his favorite.


	19. Additional Titles

_**A/N: Just something random I wrote for no reason based on one little line I thought was funny. More unrealistic expectations of what Han Solo would be like ahead:**_

* * *

Four days. It had only been four days since Han Solo had seen his family, but in recent years that was plenty of time to make him anxious to see them again. Ever since the twins had been born six years ago, both Han and Leia had decided to try and minimize time away, and thankfully it hadn't been much of an issue. It still surprised him a little how much he disliked being away from his family for even short periods of time. Sure, it was sometimes briefly a relief to not have to worry about breaking up sibling fights or deal with a kid who for whatever reason had decided that going to bed was some form of torture. And occasionally those first few hours of quiet could be a welcome reprieve from the normal chaos. But he was no longer comfortable with that much silence. Or not having his wife sleeping next to him, or the feeling of one of their kids launching their tiny bodies into his arms for a hug.

Smiling, he approached his front door, knowing he was likely only moments away from experiencing that last one.

It was mere seconds after stepping into the entryway that he heard the little voices yelling, "Daddy!" in excitement, and Jacen was the first one to come into view, arms raised and a giant grin on his face.

Han reached down and scooped his eldest son into a hug. It saddened him to think that they weren't too far away from them being too big to lift them like that anymore, so he tried not to think about it too much. "I missed you, buddy. Did you have fun while I was gone?"

Jacen leaned back to look his father in the eye and nod. "Yeah, I went to play with my friend Jorin."

"Oh, you did?" Han said and Jacen nodded back. Before he knew it, he had two more little Solos tugging at his pant legs, asking for attention. Han set Jacen down and knelt so he could hug Jaina and Anakin, one in each arm.

"Jorin's dad has a girlfriend," Jacen said to his father, his brown eyes still bright with excitement.

"Does he?" Han asked. He knew that Jorin's parents had split up a while back, so this wasn't necessarily surprising. He just hoped that the kid was handling it all right.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Han was briefly stunned by his son's question. Slightly offended, he answered defensively, "Yeah, her name is Mom."

Almost as though he had summoned her, Leia sauntered into view from around the corner and Han's eyes fell on her immediately. "See? There she is," Han said, pulling her into his arms to prove his point.

He felt her hands rubbing his back as she smirked at him and again he was surprised at how much he had missed this face over only a few short days. "What's this, I've been downgraded to girlfriend now?"

"No," Han said before leaning down and kissing her briefly. "Not a downgrade. Just an additional title."

"An additional title?"

"Sure. You know, like you're also wife, mother, girlfriend, copilot, princess of Alderaan, heroine of the Rebellion…." he paused for a moment and then thought of a few more, "Force-sensitive Skywalker twin, queen of this household, temptress of my loins…"

Leia arched a brow at him. "Temptress of your loins?"

"Mmmmhmmm…" he said as he leaned down to kiss her again.

"Well you're just in time to help the temptress get these kids ready for bed."

"As long as when we're done with that I get you ready for bed."

"Deal," she said and then kissed him one more time before rounding up the kids to begin their bedtime routine.

After teeth had been brushed and pajamas had been donned, Han indulged the kids in a couple of extra stories at their request. He always tended to be a tad more prone to giving into their requests when he'd been gone for a bit. It helped alleviate a bit of the guilt he usually felt at leaving them, even for short periods of time. Plus it gave Leia a bit of extra time to herself to get ready for bed. And if there was anything else he wanted right now, it was for her to be relaxed.

He finished the last story and denied any further delaying tactics, luckily finding them tired enough to relent fairly easily before he tucked them in, kissed them goodnight, and headed back to his own bedroom.

Leia greeted him from the bed with a warm smile and in spite of only a few days apart they wasted no time expressing how much they'd missed each other.

A while later, they were finally settled and relaxed in each other's arms.

"I missed you," Han grumbled against Leia's temple before kissing her there.

She squeezed him and settled her head even tighter against his chest. "Even though I'm just your girlfriend now?"

He laughed a little before responding. "Don't worry about that. Jacen was telling me how Jorin's dad has a girlfriend now."

"Hmm, that's right. From what I heard he got that girlfriend before he told his wife, too."

"Yeah, I heard that too." It was never good news to hear of anyone splitting up. Especially when there was clearly some deceit, and kids who would suffer from it. He did suppose though that if a two people were truly unhappy together then perhaps it would be better for everyone involved if they were apart. But as he felt the warmth of Leia's body pressed against his, he was reminded that there was no chance of anything like that coming between them. There wasn't the slightest chance that anything could be better than what he had with his wife.

"I know you would never do anything like that to me," she mumbled against his chest, almost reassuring his own thoughts on the matter.

"I'm glad you know that."

"I mean, I think you commed me every twenty minutes while you were away. When would you even have the time to have an affair?" She leaned up on an elbow and smirked at him.

"I'll try to be less needy," he replied as he stroked her hair behind her ear.

Her face got serious. "Don't even think about it. I like feeling missed."

"I always miss you when I'm not with you."

Her fingers began tracing delicate lines across his chest. "And the way you show me how much you miss me makes it seem pretty clear that you spent the whole time missing me a whole lot."

"C'mere," he said as he pulled her back against his body and wrapped himself around her, kissing her behind her ear.

"Did you miss this too?"

"Yeah, Chewie never lets me be the big spoon."

He felt her body shake with laughter as she settled back against him.

"Han?" she said quietly before continuing. "I spent the whole time missing you a whole lot too."

"I could tell," he whispered in her ear before kissing her one more time. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said before the only sound in the room was their breathing before they drifted off to sleep.


	20. Grateful

**_A/N: Leaks for the new movie are reminding me how solidly I believe none of that would have happened. And I promised some people some good fluff to counteract that nonsense, so here it is:_**

* * *

Leia entered the main hold of the _Falcon_ , carrying her youngest baby on her hip. She had brought Anakin in for a routine checkup, not surprised to find that he was healthy and growing as expected. He had been amazingly unaffected by the visit, currently just curiously checking out his surroundings as usual. She suspected something about growing up in a chaotic house with two older siblings who seemed to only get more and more active every day had made him immune to almost anything. Loud noises? Screeching? Laughter? He barely seemed to notice. Just another day in the Solo house.

Han had the twins with him, which was not so unusual. It had at times been somewhat of a default position that Han would take the older kids while Leia would care for the baby. It of course was not because Han didn't want to take care of his baby, but largely a necessity given that Leia had nursed him for the first six months of his life and it just made more sense for her to have him and for Han to have the arduous task of looking after two mobile toddlers. He didn't seem to mind though. In fact the older they got, the more fun he seemed to have when he realized that he constantly had new options of things to show them or do with them as they grew.

It only took Leia a moment to survey the situation, seeing Han squatting down on his haunches, their twins on either side of him. He was fiddling with some little panel and explaining some minute details about something there was no possible way they would've understood, and yet they hung on his every word as though he was reading them their favorite book, which he also did regularly. The other thing she noticed is that both of the twins seemed to be wearing what appeared to be very small utility belts.

"What's this one, Jace?" Han asked his son who stared up at him, smiling.

"Um… hywospatta!" Jacen replied excitedly.

Han smiled down and laughed a little, rubbing the boy's head. "That's right, buddy. Hywospatta, it is."

"You're teaching our three-year-olds about hydrospanners?" Leia said, startling Han as he turned his head towards her.

"It's never too early to start."

"Hi, Mommy!" Jacen said yelled when he turned and saw her.

"Hi, sweetie, you guys ready to go home?"

"I want to help Daddy with the _Falcon_ more," Jaina said.

"Don't worry, kiddo. We'll work on it again another time," Han said as he patted his daughter's head and then stood up to kiss Leia.

"When did you get them utility belts?"

He smiled back at her. "Chewie made 'em. Pretty great, huh? They love being able to help Daddy."

She looked down and saw two eager children who had already turned back to the panel Han had been explaining to them. "They definitely do."

"And soon I'm gonna have this little guy helping me too," Han said as he rubbed Anakin's head and leaned down to kiss him. The baby gurgled and smiled at his father.

"At least let's maybe wait until he can walk."

"I'm not makin' any promises. My goal with these two is that they can fix the hyperdrive on their own by the time they're five."

Leia arched an eyebrow. "Five? Really? From what I recall you weren't even entirely proficient at it yet by the time you were thirty."

"Hey, now. If I had been too good at fixing that hyperdrive we might not have these three right here."

It was an interesting thought that Leia hadn't really contemplated before. Whether it was true or not, she decided not to spend more than a fleeting moment imagining a scenario where she and Han hadn't fallen in love and had those three kids. She shivered a little even thinking about it.

Han stepped back and then looked down at the twins. "All right, my little helpers, time to go home."

Leia wasn't sure she would ever get over how wonderful it was to see Han with their children. Aside from the affection and love he had for them, he wanted to teach them everything. And already they seemed so eager to learn. It was so apparent just how happy those kids made him, and it melted her heart on a near daily basis. Not to mention how much those kids clearly loved their dad.

* * *

Later that evening, Leia was comfortably lying in her warm bed. Anakin had been sound asleep for a while, though they had been slightly delayed in getting the twins to sleep when they adamantly refused to take off their new utility belts. Leia was sure that they would be too uncomfortable to sleep in them, but after only a minute or two of resistance she decided that it was not worth the fight, and if they wound up uncomfortable they would probably just take them off themselves anyway, and what did it really matter if they wore them? She wasn't sure if it was out of stubbornness or something else, but when she checked on them one last time, she found both of them sound asleep, belts still securely attached. Jacen and Jaina continued to surprise her, often in very strange ways.

She was settled into bed when Han finished up in the 'fresher. They'd been married now for five years and yet she still had to almost laugh at the way he seemed to almost swagger as he approached the bed. He was shirtless, with his sleep pants slung low on his hips. If she asked him, he would act as though there was nothing deliberate about any of this. But she knew the truth, and she didn't mind one bit.

She felt the heat from his body as he climbed into bed before he even touched her, and she barely let him get settled before she leaned over and wrapped her arms around his torso. Strong, warm arms slipped around her and pulled her even closer before he rested his chin on her head. "I'm glad you were bad at fixing the hyperdrive," she said against his chest.

He kissed her head. "I'm glad I was too. It was the only way I could get you to slow down long enough to love me."

She leaned away to look up at him. "That's not really true. If not then I think I would've figured out I loved you eventually. And at the time I had no idea how many more reasons you'd give me to love you."

He brought his lips to hers and kissed her gently and then leaned back and tucked some stray hair behind her ear. "I love you, too," he said simply.

She never got tired of hearing him say that, no matter how often he did. Although he didn't really need to say it, she could tell even just by the way those hazel eyes looked at her adoringly. Slipping her hand behind his head she pulled him closer for another kiss, deeper this time, clearly with the promise for more.

Whether it was the real reason or not, she decided she would always be grateful that Han was unable to fix that hyperdrive.


End file.
